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I often have one of our children home sick with me. I used to complain and say, “Not again!” But we have four kids, and as my husband and I remind each other: This is what we signed up for. Over the past year, I’ve started to shift my mindset. Now, when someone’s sick, I tell myself – and them – that today is the best day ever.
I learned to reframe the day as a chance to create something magical, even something tiny. It’s not just for them. It’s for you, too.
Parents throw around the term “survival mode” a lot, even when the stress is mild. But stress – big or small – still shifts the energy in a room. Kids feel it. And they’re too young to carry that weight. I try to be conscious of what I’m projecting, because the more lightness I bring, the more safety and space they feel to just be kids.
