Calm, Cool and Collected
It finally happened. I have been working with my 3 and 5 year old kids on naming emotions and finding coping mechanisms for anger and frustration from the time that they were wee babes, and wouldn’t you know it, they have gone and thrown it all right back in my face.
“Uhm, mom, I think… maybe you need to find something calm to do. You aren’t being a very Peaceful Piggy.”
Great. That’s all I need. My 5 year old trying to teach me a lesson. I don’t want to slow down. I am sure that everyone within a mile radius of me can feel my intensity today, but I don’t care. I just want to get everything on my to-do list done. Now. Yesterday. And who does that child think she is, anyway?
“Thanks for the reminder,” I am glaring at my 5 year old. “But it is time to get going. Now. Get. Your. Shoes. On.”
Okay. To be fair, there really is no rush. It is just that I am tired and cranky and we just got back from an emotional trip out of town and there are loads of laundry to do and I desperately need a nap. I am also a fair bit hungry, so getting the kids to put back on the shoes they took off for lord knows what reason and leaving church for the comfort of home sounds oh-so-appealing at this moment. So… let’s get a move on.
“Maaaaayyybbeee try a deep breath. Or play with toys. I like to play with toys when I am angry.” My 5 year old keeps digging deeper as she ever so slowly puts on her shoes. Today’s lesson in church was on meditation and finding ways to calm down when we feel overwhelmed, frustrated or angry. It was about finding a peaceful place in your heart so that you can take on the day, feel powerful, and love yourself and your neighbor. I should know. I put the lesson together myself.
I am growing impatient. “I will give it a try when we get home. But we have to get there first. Now, let’s go!”
“If you feel so mad you can ROAR,” sings my 3 year old son, “Take a deep breath and count to 4! One… Two… Three… Four!” He repeats the lyrics from an episode of the PBS show Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood; lyrics that I have sung with him many times as he has come down from tantrums, usually involving not getting his favorite foods for dinner. He doesn’t always love hearing this song and it usually takes a while before he begrudgingly stops stomping his feet long enough to “use his words” and tell me that he is just heartbroken that we can’t have pizza for every meal of every day. Angry stomping feet, it seems, are a lot easier to muster than finding the words to express disappointment. Except right now he has a giant smile on his face; he just put his shoes on all by himself and put his mom in check all at the same time. The kid is over the moon.
By this time I am feeling some weird combination of complete exhaustion, pride, hunger, humility and love. I am beginning to understand why my kids would much rather throw a tantrum than “use their words.” It is like when an annoyingly chipper morning person wakes you up in the morning after you get a terrible night’s sleep. I’m happy for you that you love waking up so early and that you are feeling so refreshed and wonderful. Truly. I am. And I really do realize that my scroogy-ness is the problem and your positive attitude should serve as a reminder for me to open my heart to the possibilities of the new day. But can’t I just be the lesser person for once? It is kind of comfortable down here in the dumps…
But I do it anyway. I take a few deep breaths and try to remember that this state of feeling overwhelmed, stressed and tired is just temporary. I will eventually make it home. I will get to eat some lunch, and I will get to rest. Everything will be okay. It will.
I am now off the ledge just enough to realize that I need to dial my stress back a bit, check my ego and recognize that my children are right.
“You guys are right; I am starting to feel better. Sometimes I get frustrated, tired and angry, too. I think that because I wanted to get home so badly I forgot to be kind and loving with my words. Thank you for reminding me and helping me to find more loving words.” I am saying this to remind myself just as much as I am affirming my children and the lessons I know I want them to hang on to. “I am thinking eating a little lunch and resting might help me reset a bit. Can you guys help me do that?”
Of course they will help. Kids love nothing more than to know that they are wise, important and needed; because they really are, and so are we. Sometimes we just need a little reminder.
Here are some great tools to help you and your family become “Peaceful Piggies.” Add your favorite resources in the comments section below:
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on PBS
Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee MacLean
uuathome.com 
Brilliant. Thank you for sharing your authentic self with the world.
I loved “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” especially Daniel Tiger. It was from him that we learned the concept of “heart relatives” — people you choose as the family of your heart. I’ve been reluctant to try “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” Is it really worth trying for this old devotee of the original?
Thanks!
You know, I was a little reluctant myself of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood because I loved Mister Rogers as well. The first episode I saw was about stopping and using the potty and I wasn’t totally sold. But then as I saw more of the show, I realized that Fred would have probably really loved it. It is definitely for very young children and focuses mostly on issues of the heart (Grown ups come back, saying thank you, turning something bad into something good, etc.) It is lovely. As a parent I find the little jingles they write under each theme very helpful tools for reminding my kids of these lessons, and I think that we adults sometimes need reminders of the things that are touching the hearts of our wee little ones. I know I don’t really remember what it was like being 3!
Anyway, the show gets two thumbs up from me, and four thumbs up from my kids.
This is so awesome, Amy. I have been in a bad mood for weeks, seemingly. I need to get into some peaceful piggy meditation. Thank you for posting this.