Are you covered in vomit, have been awake for 10 minutes over 24 hours, and are wondering if the last bath you took was this morning? Welcome to early parenthood!
These things happen primarily to new moms, who are often super frustrated. If you are one of them and want to overcome these challenges, you need to cultivate gratitude in your daily life.
Cultivating gratitude can improve your mental health and that of your children. Finding happiness even on chaotic days is possible.
In this blog post, we'll explore five easy steps to cultivate gratitude to prepare ourselves for the incredible journey of becoming parents of a newborn. Your future self will be grateful for it!
It is easy to compare early parenthood to a marathon because it can feel like it never ends. You are exhausted and stressed, so ask yourself if you are doing everything right.
If you are awake at 3 am to feed your baby, you can always look at the bright side. It is rather like waking up after a night's sleep without getting any sleep and putting on a pair of rose-tinted spectacles.
It makes you focus on the positive things and acknowledge that you are making progress, no matter how small it may seem. Enduring, the first smile, the moment of silence, just making it through the day.
You become a role model for your kids. They will notice your good energy and be more responsive, even if they cannot say thank you at this stage!
But how do you express gratitude when buried in baby wipes and a screaming toddler? Don't panic. Here are five realistic approaches to increasing thankfulness in the parenting process.
Are you tired of being lost on the carpet and not getting any sleep at night? A gratitude journal is precisely what you need to see the positive side of this crazy thing called parenting. It is simpler than it may appear and carries much weight behind it.
Here's the deal:
● Open your notebook or use your smartphone.
● Try to dedicate 5 minutes a day.
● Write three things for which you are thankful.
You are building a collection of joyful memories that you would never wish to be erased. Just think how it would feel to reread it in a few years and get goosebumps!
When we use "meditation," we do not mean sitting atop a hill with legs crossed for days. This is parent-style mindfulness. It is more of a mental break in between the havoc created by the babies. It's fast and feasible and will help you keep your marbles intact.
Here is how you can practice mindfulness:
● Breathe deeply three times while changing the diaper.
● Enjoy that first cup of coffee in the morning.
● Concentrate on how your baby feels in your arms regarding weight while feeding them.
It is a skill you can apply during diaper days and after. It is like an investment in preserving one's sanity in the future.
When the parenting storm has passed, it is easy to forget to high-five the support team. So, let's discuss how to shower some love on your significant other, family, and friends who help keep you grounded.
You don't need much to deserve appreciation. Want to improve your relationships and your feelings?
Try this:
● Compliment your partner on one thing you like about them every day
● If a friend calls to check up on you, send a short message expressing gratitude.
● Express gratitude to your parents or in-laws for their assistance
A bit of appreciation goes a long way. It is like a relationship fertilizer, helping all aspects become even more vital.
Your baby may not be able to say "thank you" yet, but that does not prevent them from being part of the gratitude team.
Try these simple ideas:
● Before bed, you must whisper three things you are grateful for to your baby.
● While eating, look at the food and say thank you for it and for being able to eat it.
● Compose an amusing Thanksgiving song to sing during diapering time.
It is one of the best methods for enhancing the excitement of a seemingly ordinary day. This might become a tradition that the family continues to pass down even when the baby is no longer a baby.
Parenthood is tough. There's no sugarcoating it. But what if we switched roles in those challenging situations?
Try this mindset shift:
● Write one idea that was discovered after a tiresome day.
● Look for signs indicating you are improving, such as being more assertive or patient.
● Be grateful for the new abilities you are learning.
You will see how much progress you have made sometime in the future. We should all be thankful for that!
The day is done, the workload is heavy, and you are likely either sweaty or dirty. But here's the deal: beginning these gratitude practices now could be the best present you could offer yourself and your family.
Don't let a day with your baby pass without finding those moments of happiness. In the future, you'll be grateful you started today!
The best thing to remember is that nobody is perfect, which is perfectly okay. It is about gradually transforming the way we manage our lives. So, Try it out today. Let's do this!
Q. How can parents of a newborn practice gratitude when there is barely any time?
Ans. Start small! Write a note of what you are thankful for during a feeding or a diaper change. It's not about the number of things you do but the kind of things you do. It is essential that the difference can be made even in 30 seconds.
Q. What are some excellent mindfulness exercises parents can do quickly with children?
Ans. Try the "5-4-3-2-1" technique: Five things that you notice are sight-related, four things that you experience through touch, three things that you hear, two things that you smell, and one thing that you taste. It is an excellent way to live in the present moment and to clear your mind from various thoughts and concerns.
Q. In what ways can I encourage gratitude practices with my partner?
Ans. Establish a tradition of telling each other something you are thankful for about the other person before sleeping. It is one of the easiest ways to establish communication and bring your relationship to the next level, even on bad days.
Q. Is there an app for practising mindfulness or keeping a gratitude journal?
Ans. Absolutely! Visit Calm, Headspace, or Gratitude to experience the simplicity of use. But, sometimes, the traditional pen and paper are also efficient. It would help if you used what you feel comfortable with.
