Saving Your Sanity

I am a very Type A personality- I want things done, and I want them done NOW. In a lot of ways, that is an awesome thing! But as a parent, especially as a parent of a special needs child, that can be extremely frustrating! Chelsea thinks and moves slowly, which works for her- she takes time to smell the roses, and that is also wonderful!

BUT- on the days where we have a ton to get done and I feel stressed if I DON'T get things done, I have a few tricks that I use to lower my stress and still get things done.

Freezer Meals
About once a week, or once every other week, I make an extra casserole or soup and freeze it. That way, I have a meal to pull out and heat up on the days that I am getting overwhelmed.

Aluminum pans ROCK for less dishes!
 

Have a Candy Stash
My husband and I jokingly call this our "Crime Prevention" category when we do our budget. On the days when I feel my blood pressure skyrocketing, I tell myself that if I can control my temper, I get some chocolate! Good deal to me!

Hoard Kids' TV Time
Everyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a fan of TV all the time. My kids are limited to 30-60 minutes of educational DVDs daily (no commercials!). They like Signing Time and Super Why best. BUT- on days when we are sick, or hooked up to an EEG machine (like today), or whatever, I feel okay cheating up to 2 Disney movies without thinking their brains are rotten.

Have a Support Network
Easier said than done, I know!!! No one wants to watch your kid because they are "too difficult", your friends don't "get it", and a plethora of other things. BUT I love, love, love the network I have! I have an aunt that has 2 autistic kids and she knows exactly what I am going through and has saved me many times! My sister and dad are phenomenal to call when I need to hear "you are still a great mom", love my church, and I have a babysitter that I think is an alien because she is just THAT good with my kids.

Pre-Prep Snacks
One of the days when Chelsea is at school, I go grocery shopping with my little man, and then try and prep as many snacks as I can right when we get home. Baggies of veggies with mini cups of hummus, cut up fruit, make meat rollups, whatever. That way, we avoid the hungry meltdowns by having snacks that are ready and available.

Exercise (in spurts)
I have a degree in Exercise Physiology. 15 years of gymnastics competition/ coaching experience, nutrition courses... I STILL cannot find a couple hours daily to go to the gym with a SATB2 kiddo at home. So, I do mini workouts throughout the day. I usually run it like this- do something with the kids (speech practice, play dinosaurs), then do 100 crunches, or 40 pushups. PLUS, when you exercise in small doses throughout the day, your metabolism stays up!

Have Routines
This saves me on a daily basis. We have routines for many reasons, like Chelsea knowing what to expect. That makes her feel very smart, like she can tell Mommy what I "forgot" when I ask what next. Also, it helps me remember things. Same thing with To-Do Lists

Organize, Organize, Organize!!!
With this one, it is really, really difficult at the time- it is freaking hard to get all your child's insurance, school, therapy, and medical papers in order. BUT it is sooooo worth it! When I go to doctor appointments and they ask for the contact information of all doctors who have worked with her, boom- it's ready! Here was the blog on Organizing and Navigating Specialists

Have an "Escape"
Everyone needs breaks, and how you use those breaks depends solely on you! For me, I like watching an episode of Star Trek before bed with my husband (yeah, yeah, we are big time nerds), or any comedy- never depressing things. I'd rather laugh than cry.