How do you cope with complete chaos?

How is it summer already? I promise I’ll get back to writing quilting posts again next week. I’ve had a few things weighing heavy on my heart this week and if my words save one girl from losing it in the midst of life’s insanity moments, then my words are worth it. I care about my readers and this wonderful tribe of momma quilters makes my heart tremendously happy 🙂

My kids just finished school and let me tell you that we are all lucky to be alive right now. I’m going to give myself a sticky gold star for making it through this week. How do you cope with complete chaos as a mom? Because I could sure use a magic potion if you have one.

I was going to post this yesterday but hey… It has been utterly nutso around here. In the past week, we’ve managed to make it through two end of year programs, two crazy high fever viruses, two end of year parties where I was room mom for both (yay!). Plus, extra hours at work and there were also teacher gifts too… if you follow me on Instagram, you got a sneak peek at the presents I made. “Everything But The Ice Cream” – How stinkin’ cute did these turn out?!

I included fun bowls, gold plastic spoons, cute napkins, chocolate shell syrup, caramel candy, super sweet sugar cookies and of course (my daughter’s favorite part) SPRINKLES! All you need (but the ice cream, obviously) for a fun summer evening. I hope these ladies soak in the sweet success of having made it through the year.

Yesterday, when I came home, I hit complete and utter brain mush mode. You know, where there is just nothing left, and you don’t even care if everyone eats goldfish for dinner? (We didn’t, because I somehow managed to put dinner in the crockpot that morning. My absolute saving grace… yeah!)

It is all I can do just to hang on!

Do you ever felt that way?… I’m guessing yes; otherwise, you would think me mad and have moved on by now (*Hey, thanks for sticking with me*)

Whether you’re a mom or just a busy woman, life is just like that sometimes. And I hate to burst your bubble… but you’re not unique or cursed. Sometimes the best you can hope for is to just make it through the day with your sanity still hanging by a thread. And if you’re left with that thread, well then it is a good day.

I know it feels like it, but these seasons never last forever. If you’re up to your eyeballs in diapers, have a stomach bug that is picking your family off one by one (help meeeeee)… there will be a light at the end of the tunnel soon. Just keep hanging on.

It sometimes can feel like it will last forever, but it never does last forever. I’m just speaking from experience here but hey… so far, so good, right? It isn’t game over yet!

How do you cope with complete chaos as a mom?

If you’re in the middle of chaos right now, take a deep breath and focus on three things. Then breathe out and repeat for as many times as necessary until things calm back down. It will be okay.

• SLEEP.  What is the first thing you think about when your child has absolutely turned into a raging grumpy monster? NAP TIME, right?! I don’t care how old your kid is. I still ask my almost 10-year-old to go take 20 minutes quiet time when she is so tired she can’t handle life anymore. She always comes out in much better spirits. We should recognize this more in ourselves, but often we do nothing about it but soldier on.Sleep is the cure-all for almost everything. If you don’t get enough sleep, your immune system suffers, and your body just isn’t able to handle itself the way it was meant to. If you get enough sleep, you are so much better equipped to handle everything life throws our way.

  Make it to bed on time. It won’t help your to-do list, no, but it will make your to-do list easier to handle tomorrow.

  Still can’t see sleep happening? Call in the reinforcements!  Get a babysitter or call grandma & grandpa to take over for one night so you can get some rest.

  Even if something else has to be put on the back burner… do NOT let go of your sleep!

• PRIORITIZE. I know we all love the idea of being super mom, but you can’t do everything. If your to-do list is a mile long… break it up. Give yourself a ‘top 5’ category, and then rank your remaining tasks. I love the satisfaction of crossing off list items. I write down everything, and then I work down my list in order of importance. No exceptions.
• GRACE.  If somethings end up falling through or you have to delegate it to someone else… it’s ok. If you aren’t able to do everything. It’s ok. If you have to turn around and say no to something you just said yes to because you realized it doesn’t rank as necessary on your list as other items… IT IS OK.You can apologize for not having the time to allocate towards it but never apologize for being inferior.

  You are not inferior. You are a woman doing the best you can.

  Never feel guilty about falling short of the expectations you put on yourself. If you wouldn’t hold your best friend up to those same expectations, cut yourself some slack (FYI, this does not come easy for many women. It happens because you have to practice it every single time you encounter a situation where there aren’t enough hours in the day for your to-do list, and something has to give)

• Breathe – Do something for YOU. And do it often. I didn’t say go on a week-long cruise in the Bahamas. Just pick something little you can do for yourself often that brings you joy and keeps yourself centered instead of off-kilter crazy. A phone call with a best friend, make yourself a cup of tea or take a long shower – something where in that moment you don’t allow yourself to stress. Instead, you let it all out. Regroup and then get back up and get back out there until things can calm down again.

What about you? How do you handle stressful, crazy times?

Do you have a favorite ritual that you default to when the chaos rears its ugly head or have you just accepted that disorder is the new normal and you’ve learned to roll with it?

I would love to hear your thoughts and solutions in the comments! Let me know!

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes. It is a little bit of my mantra currently and something I want to share with other women who need to hear it.

You (yes, you) do not have to wonder woman to be wonderful. 

Even in our sense of chaos and overtired, cereal crusted, carpool lives… you really are wonderful, just the way you are!