One parenting fail after another…

Today has felt like one Parenting:FAIL after another. Despite the  need my children had to burn off some energy, I was hesitant to send them outdoors  in case a passerby overheard all the crying and tantruming. Seriously, it was one fit after another. Someone was crying because we were playing Memory as opposed to Candy Land. Another was crying because we were playing Diego Memory as opposed to Strawberry Shortcake Memory. And a third (Can you guess who that might have been) was contemplating crying because we were playing a board game at all. This was all before 8:30am. The theme of the day has pretty much been that no one wants to do anything I have suggested. No one wanted to get dressed. No one wanted to stay in their pjs. No one wanted to do an art project together. No one wanted to do an art project alone. No one wanted to participate in chore time. No one wanted to sit out during chore time. No one wanted to ride bikes outside. No one wanted to sit inside and be bored. You get the picture, right? As moms, we all experience days like this…days in which the entire house seems plagued by grumpiness, where the best of intentions go awray and where nap time/bedtime cannot arrive fast enough. On days such as these, I attempt to find the little things to make my world a bit calmer and a bit more serene. I channel my 1950’s housewife tucked deep inside and pull a few tricks out of my SAHM hat on days when I would much rather run out the door screaming than parent. 1. Toss on some jewels. Sure, June Cleaver had her pearls. I have a deep love for chunky jewelry as well. I find on rough days if I look a bit spunky, my attitude can find some spunk as well. Most likely, June wore those pearls to merely survive in a house with two boys and an overly-chipper husband. 2. I liven up my food. Casa de phillips is home to many a paper and plastic plate. However, I find that using our real (read: very breakable) dishes on a regular basis adds a bit of refinement to my day. Sure I may only be sipping water while unloading the dishwasher for the second time that morning, but at least I am doing it with a bit of style. 3. I take a look at the little faces around me. Sure those faces might not have the most angelic of expressions on them… And they might be tinged with a bit of mischievousness… But they make me smile anyway. What little things serve as your “pick-me-ups” on those less than stellar parenting days?