How to Avoid Being a "Screaming Monkey Parent"

This photo is hitting a little too close to home. Especially in the summertime with all of our children at home. Yes, we love our children but we don't always feel capable of parenting them. In our home this summer we have five boys, one girl, and untold numbers of little friends tracking dirt through our house. We can go from nice to frazzled, bleary-eyed, and ranting in about an hour. And often it is our spouses or children who pay the price. So, what can we do to keep our cool when the days get long and hot? One key, according to Psychology Today is prevention. And prevention means managing our stress before it gets to epic levels.

Here are some things you can do to recharge your batteries so that you don't fizzle out - and hey, you can remember these things using the word "recharge." Now that's an added bonus!

Rest: Go to bed before 10:30. Get seven to eight hours of sleep. Our tempers flare more easily when we aren’t rested. Take a short nap if you've overdone it.

Eat Three Meals a Day: Feed yourself three times a day. We are irritable when we don’t eat.

Caring words: Say caring things about yourself. When everyone else was telling a family member how yucky her cooking was she would pat herself on the back and say something like "good job Pat, you're cooking for your kids, you're keeping them fed, good job!" And remember, one of the most caring words you can say is "no" when demands get over the top.

Hygiene: Shower daily, brush your teeth, do your hair. This will help you to feel better about yourself and when we feel better about ourselves we are less likely to hurt others.

Avoid addictive substances: These include alcohol, drugs, and porn. You can't control your temper when you're not in control of yourself.

Relax: Everything doesn’t have to be done now. Take a time out. Breathe. Work on a hobby. Watch a funny tv show. One wise person we know takes a night off once a week to do what she enjoys.

God: Seek spiritual help from time spent with God in prayer or meditation.

Exercise: Take a walk, dance, lift weights, swim. This will give you a natural high and improve your body image.

So, if you want to stop showing all of your teeth take time to "recharge," taking care of yourself may be the best preventative anger strategy around.

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