Sound Advice...from my children

This semester has brought on STRESS. Hair pulling, teeth grinding, caffeine abusing stress. However! I am the solitary leader of this pack and as the solitary leader, I feel it is my responsibility to provide a positive role model and take advantage of all parenting opportunities as they arise.

Which leads me to our pre-dinner conversation the other night.

"Mom. Why are you grunting?"

"Grunting? Oh. Ha. Me?"  Pausing a moment and noting to self that I was using my outside voice...then... enlightenment showed it's bright shiny beam on me for a second and I saw an opportunity. "Yes. I am so sorry kiddos. Mommy has so much going on, and well, I feel a little stressed. Have you ever felt this way? What do you do?"

T(8yo): "Mom. I totally have. This is what you need to do. Take a breath. Stop what you are doing that is making you nutso. Walk away until you can feel calm. If you need to, you can play with Q or me, for like 10 minutes, and then go back to your homework."

Q(6yo): "Yeah! You can like go back to your center and get to a calm place and then when you aren't frustrated anymore, finish your work."

Me: "Holy smokes you guys! That is such AMAZING advice. Thank you! Wow!"
To self: "They really do listen to me."

Simultaneously, they responded, "Yea, Mom. I learned that at school."

Clearly my job is done. You can find me in my bed. Under my covers. :)