Reclaiming the Joy in Your Parenting

I think we’ve all been there- tired, no, exhausted.  Irritable.  Burnt out.  This can occur for a variety of reasons (some of which I’m going to cover in my upcoming parenting course, “From Surviving To Showing Up”) and it’s important to discover what is emptying your cup, but for now let’s focus on three simple things you can do to reclaim the joy in your parenting.

Step 1:  Gratitude as a Pathway to Joy

We’re not talking about forced “I should be grateful” mantras. This is about slowing down and noticing the things about your kids that are wonderful. Notice the joy they bring you.   Maybe it’s how they pronounce a word, or the way they light up over a worm in the dirt.  Maybe it’s the little gifts that bring you, or the hugs they give.  Take a moment and rave about your kids.  This doesn’t have to be performative (meaning, it’s not an exercise to boost your social media following), but rather a heartfelt reverence for your child or children. 

Joy and gratitude are powerful frequencies, and they cannot co-exist with lower frequencies such as shame, blame and criticism.  Choosing to focus on what you appreciate is an instant mood lifter.

Bonus points if you rave about your kids to others, especially in earshot of your kids (it is good for their self-esteem to hear you complimenting them to others). 

Rave about your kids even in small doses, and find yourself reclaiming your joy in parenting.

Step 2:  Finding YOUR joy

This may seem like an obvious one but I believe it’s also very overlooked.  How often do you do something just for you?  When do you do things for yourself simply because they light you up?  What is a hobby, passion project, or service that you engage in that is deeply fulfilling?  If you can’t think of anything, why is that?  Do you even know what sparks your joy? If not, make finding out your mission. 

Remember this: you’re allowed to have joy separate from your children. Reclaiming your joy means you stop waiting for permission or perfection to do something just because we enjoy it.  We are here to IN-JOY life (get it? Be in joy!) 

Step 3: Being Playful to Reclaim Your Joy (not necessarily forcing yourself to play)

What do I mean by being playful but not forcing play?  What I mean is, adopt a playful spirit.  Try on play as a mindset and way of moving through your day.  How can you bring more light-heartedness to your parenting?  What would it look like if you brought a more playful attitude to the mundane?  What if you were able to approach more of your parenting with laughter and a smile?  If this seems difficult because you are in a very difficult season, I can understand that.  But making micro-shifts towards a more light-heartedness can create big shifts with consistency.  (My upcoming course, From Surviving to Showing Up, will go over how to make micro-changes with big impact.  Sign up for my newsletter below to hear when it launches!)

Reclaiming Your Joy in Parenting

Finding your joy requires presence and self-awareness, and also a bit of a return to innocence.  Joy is a very high-vibration energy and it doesn’t occur simultaneously with harsh mindsets.  When we let go of thoughts and outlooks that bring us down (complaining, judging, criticizing), we can free up space in our heads and our hearts to access joy.  Gratitude lifts us up and resets any friction with our children.  Accessing our own joy fills our cup, which gives us the energy to bring more play into our everyday lives.  Even a few minutes a day of living this way can shift the entire tone of your home and your heart.