Why wouldn’t we all benefit from a few rules to keep us healthy? And why don’t I follow the guidelines I give to my son? Because I’m an adult? Because they shouldn’t apply to me? Nonsense. If anything, my kid’s wellness-related rules should apply to me even more because I’m older than him and less resilient. The fact of the matter is, the older I get, the MORE I need to take care of my body and mind.
So, in hopes that I might try to be at least a little more healthy (adios, Pringles), I have one last piece of advice after creating and sticking to some parenting guidelines for myself. I mean, if I make my kid do these things, I should have to try them as well, right?
Take a breath and use your words
My kid gets frustrated with life. He’s four years old and just beginning to understand that he has free will but is confined to the constructs of society. When he starts whining for some unknown reason, I hold his shoulders, look into his eyes, and say, “Take a breath, buddy. Use your words. What is wrong? If we talk about it, we can fix it”. He usually stops, takes the cutest breath ever, and says something like, “Mama, my truck is stuck under the sofa”.
Guess what? I get frustrated with life as well. I’m a grown-up, I have free will, and I get angry that I have to be confined to the constructs of society as well. I got towed while I was hiking the other day from the top of Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles and I had to walk 3 miles down the mountain to pay $300 to get my car back. Internally, I was doing exactly the same thing my kid does when he loses his truck. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?!?!
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