As every parent can attest, parenting children isn't always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes we get frustrated, sometimes we're overtired, and sometimes we feel like we're squeezing pumpkin seeds.
Alissa Marquess's new book Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection, Not Perfection can help you when parenting gets tough. In this book Alissa sends you on secret missions to help you bounceback when parenting gets tough.
She'll walk you through different ways of finding time for self-care, including creating a list of "bite-sized self-care activities. And she will help you come up with ways that you can better connect with your kids.
Each chapter has lots of space for you to write down what you've learned and complete the missions without having too look all over your house for pieces of paper that you can write on.
I loved the she suggests. I've been using it every night when I hear one of my boys fussing (specifically the 18-month-old who still wakes up every hour *yuck*), to see if he is actually awake or simply fussing in his sleep. I'd say about a quarter of the time I can roll over and go back to sleep.
Bounceback Parenting gave me the chance to think about some of the things I've been struggling with lately, like how my 18-month-old still wakes up every hour on a good night, and come up with new strategies to deal with those situations. My favourite being the 17 second rule. I had no idea how long 17 seconds was until I took the time to count it out.
The book also reminded me of all of the ways that I have been succeeding lately, and one of the missions reminded me about how wonderful my often overtired boys really are.
So, if you think you need to bounceback and be the parent you wish you were, then you should pick up a copy of Marquess' book. I think you'll find it quite helpful.