This post is sponsored by Procter & Gamble for my honest review of Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash. Every opinion stated in this post is 100% mine.
7 Ways to Shake a Bad Case of the Mondays
It was a Monday morning. We were exactly 2.5 minutes into the day and already, I could tell we needed a “do over” – immediately.
Our tween woke up grumpy because he finished reading the last book in a series he loved. He now had to wait seven weeks before the next book would be released. I am not sure if he felt this lack in reading material was my fault, but none the less, I found myself on the receiving end of his silent treatment.
The 9 year-old couldn’t find any clean socks in his closet. It didn’t help when he found a collection of missing socks in his younger brother’s dresser. Once you have matched 37 pair of little-boy socks, they blend together and I had misplaced them – obviously just to ruin his Monday morning.
The Kindergartener and our 4 year-old woke up on the wrong side of the bed, literally. After falling asleep in their bunk beds the night before, they migrated into our bed in the middle of the night. This wasn’t unusual. However, they fell asleep on the edge of the bed, which caused both of them to fall onto the floor. First they were startled, then they were just plain mad at the world, which continued well into the morning.
Weekday mornings in our house normally run smoothly and adhere to a “strict” daily routine well-known by all four boys. However, this particular Monday morning, NOTHING ran smoothly, nothing felt like routine and as a matter of fact, I didn’t even recognize the four cranky kids standing before me. They clearly couldn’t be my loving, charming cherubs.
I did what any mother in my situation would have done. I got the three school-aged kids ready as fast as possible and took them to school. They weren’t thrilled, but somehow we needed to get through our collective bad case of the Mondays.
I was left with a cranky four-year old and an exhausted and mildly agitated mother of four (me!)!
When we walked in the door after successfully dropping the others off at school, I remembered the little treat I bought myself the day before.
Out of nostalgia and curiosity, I picked up Ivory Free & Gentle Cleanse & Nourish Body Wash
Without ANY hesitation, I started a big warm bath, filled the tub with the Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash
The warm soothing water, the mild scent of the essential oils in the Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash and the playful bubbles worked in unison to reset our moods instantly. Jonah had long since forgotten about his free-fall from our bed and his grumpy brothers.
The only thing that mattered at that moment, was shaking off our case of the Mondays and starting the day over – on a happier note.
Thankfully, the Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash
Once again, Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash, together with the warm water and the carefree bubbles, helped all the kids quietly hit the re-set button. The foul start to our Monday was rinsed down the drain after their baths, and together we were able to restart our week on a much happier note.
Ever since that crazy day, I turn to that bottle of Ivory Body Wash when I need to simplify my life. I love that I can use this product on the kids AND myself.
Some days, especially on Mondays, we require a little extra nurturing, perhaps even a do-over. And by “we” I don’t just mean mothers and fathers, but also KIDS! The kids especially feel the effects of the weekend drawing to a close, a new week upon them and more than likely an action-packed schedule in school and at home.
How to Shake a Bad Case of the Mondays:
When life calls for a quick “pause,” not only does a bath with Ivory Free & Gentle bring you back to the things that matter, but these other 6 things will also re-set your day.
- Read a captivating or funny book.
- There’s nothing that makes you forget the stress of the real world, like snuggling up on the couch with a good book. Maybe you are reading to yourself, but remember, reading to children has a profoundly calming effect on both you and the child.
- Get out!
- Regardless of the weather, get out of the house. Dress appropriately for the weather and go for a walk, ride a bike – even doing cartwheels down the sidewalk will get your blood pumping and fresh air in your lungs.
- This past weekend, I asked the kids to pick up fallen leaves in the yard and that activity quickly became our 5 minute reset button. Every time the kids started to get wild, I sent them out to pick up more leaves and they came back inside with happy and positive attitudes.
- Drink a hot soothing beverage.
- Granted, a majority of adults thrive on coffee in the morning, but the reality is that we rarely get more than one sip before someone needs something and then the coffee is cold. Even if you have to hide under the dinner table, find a quiet place to enjoy your steaming hot cup of coffee or tea, in relative peace and quiet.
- Yoga and/ or meditation.
- Turn your reflections inward and focus for a few minutes on something as simple and predictable as your own breathing.
- This activity is great for kids as well. When our kids are mid-meltdown, it catches them completely off guard when I not-so-quietly start to breathe deeply and hum a monotone sound. It catches their attention and most often, they forget to be upset just long enough to reset the day and move on without tears and frustration.
- Get creative.
- On particularly hard days, I love rolling out a big sheet of butcher paper and let the kids have fun with crayons and whatever else they want to use to draw and color. Tap into your creativity with your kids.
- Forget about yourself and do something nice for others.
- This is a wonderful way to teach kids the “value” of random acts of kindness. From something as simple as complimenting a stranger, calling a friend, to sending a card in the mail, taking a few minutes to shift your focus away from your own frustration onto “how can I help someone in a similar situation” is a lifelong lesson your kids will benefit from.
How do you shake off a bad case of the Mondays?
