Affirmations

I hope to still write some posts here and there, even though I don't have a weekly goal anymore. After my last post, Jonathan and I talked about a few ideas so that we could keep the conversation going. He emailed me the other day and shared a strategy that has been working for him:

I had the thought that I can try coming up with some positive parenting affirmations to say to myself each day to try to form healthier thought habits. I partially got the idea from some of Melissa's hypnobabies stuff, where she has pregnancies affirmations to create good thought patterns. This has helped me have more realistic expectations of the kids and myself, and helped me have a better attitude. It isn't necessarily a new idea, but new packaging can help restart some good habits sometimes. 

I realized I have some phrases that I use too. Thinking about them as affirmations actually encouraged me to think about them more often. This has been especially helpful this week as I've been solo at home (Sadie left on Thurs to visit her sister) and has helped me maintain a positive attitude. Here are some that help me:

• "I love being a dad." This one helps me remember to have fun, to choose to enjoy the journey of fatherhood, and to be a loving dad. Granted, it isn't all daisies and butterflies, but helps me put things in perspective. When I head back to work on Weds, I imagine my co-workers asking how my time was. I will be tempted to say something like, "I'm glad to be back at work" and imply that full-time child care is not a pleasant experience. Although changing poopy diapers, dealing with tantrums/fits, and having little personal time during the day is not fun, I hope I can genuinely say I love being a dad. 
• "I am a teacher." This one carries a ton of meaning. Teachers need to know how learners learn. They know when learners are not ready to learn and which methods to use when teaching. Teachers help learners to grow and recognize their achievements, etc. 
• "They're just kids. This is what they do." This phrase helps me a ton. They can't be adults all at once and trying to get them to act like adults is just wasted breath and emotional energy. Sadie has a similar phrase, "It's not a big deal."