Not My Stress
A Katy Parent shares her struggles with stress
The school year is drawing to a close and it seems that life is as busy and chaotic as ever! As a parent, sometimes life can be stressful and at times, more than we can handle. One day, I had an “aha†moment when I learned that I didn’t need to absorb the stress of my loved ones. As I think about it now, I can remember the pit in my stomach, the rapid breathing, and the threatening headaches as my children shared their stress. “Mom, I’m supposed to bring a red folder to school. I’ll get in trouble if I don’t have it! Mom, did you wash my soccer shirt? I need it right now! Mom, I failed my English test today. Mom, can you bring me my lunch? I think I left it in the kitchen.â€
My, oh my, how my body would tense with the incessant stress! And, when things turned out badly, I blamed myself. It didn’t matter that it was my daughter who had left her lunch, or my son who hadn’t studied for his test, it was now my stress. After many years of learning, I discovered a marvelous secret. I discovered that I could let my children own their own stress! It was no longer my stress…heaven knew I had enough of my own! With each pressing demand, I learned to take a deep breath, and remind myself that it wasn’t my problem. (I know, it is much easier said than done, and sometimes I still feel stress, but, I’m improving!)Â
So, as the days pass, my children are learning that I am not their rescue hero. I am their mother. Yes, I will always be there to cheer them on, love them, teach them and support them in their journey, but, they need to worry about their own rescue efforts. What a calm feeling this gives me. The pressure is off. I find my responsibilities are much more manageable when I remove the panic factor.
How do you manage stress? Please share!
