5 mantras for overwhelmed parents

1. I AM A GOOD ENOUGH PARENT.

It's the truth. Don't measure yourself against Facebook feeds, insta-highlights or pinterest-perfect. You are doing great. What your child needs is you and you are enough.  Don't be afraid to show your child your imperfections, to talk about how you make mistakes too.  Sometimes show your tears and say, "I get sad sometimes, too". You are a good enough parent and you are a great teacher in these moments to your little one.

2. THIS WON'T LAST FOREVER.

The minutes can feel like days, especially when you've been up since 5 am...but scroll back to a picture of when they were tiny and new. You will see this won't last forever. Babies don't keep. They grow from tiny to big, sometimes seemingly before your eyes. So you can be there for another minute, another hour, and you can get through another difficult day, because this age and stage your child is at won't last forever.

3. ALL I HAVE IS THIS MOMENT.

So juice it for all it's worth. Be present with your child. Smell their hair. Feel their warmth and the weight of their little body curled against you.  Notice their breath, the rising and falling of their belly. Study their eyelashes and little lips, hold their little hands in yours.  There are no guarantees in this life, so treasure this moment for what it is.  Be present with your baby. 

4. I'M SHOWING UP FOR SOMEONE WHO NEEDS ME.

Though it can feel overwhelming. Even though you may feel touched out and like you just need some space. You are the very person your little one needs right now and you are amazing for showing up. For investing in this little one. You are showing up to rock, shush, and swaddle, to feed again, to change another diaper, to kiss scraped knees, to wipe tears, to read another book, to bathe, to hug and hold tight.  You are doing good work. Good. Hard. Work.

5. I AM MAKING PROGRESS IN THE PROCESS.

What you are working on today may not be what you will work on next week. And chances are you have made some progress. Notice it. Notice the baby steps. Sure, you may be repeating "We don't throw food" multiple times per meal to your toddler, but you no longer have to deal with the baby's immature digestive system and fussiness that results from lots of tummy troubles. Whatever is happening today is a part of the process, only a piece is the puzzle.  When you are so close you can lose sight of the big picture. , Don't forget that you are creating a masterpiece. You are making progress in the process. 

Need some extra love with this hard transition of being a parent? Reach out to Liminal Space Consulting today for counseling or coaching.