This has been a very difficult couple of weeks. Lots of hard decisions for one of our kiddos, which included doctors, counselors, and court appointments. Not to mention the stress of trying to maintain a normal life schedule for the other family members and to address their fears and worries in this time of crisis due to our reactive attachment child.
Today, I finally got a break from all the above and realized how vitally important the advice I have been given by some very, very wise people to be sure to take care of myself first. I have found if I don’t sleep well, eat well, exercise some, or laugh much, I feel low. Add to that list pray a lot, spend time alone with my husband, and share with a close friend. In fact, I get on autopilot and then crash hard when the load is lightened. It is hard to motivate from this lowly place.
It is very easy when the RPM’s of life are revved above the red line for an extended period of time to want to continue in that mode when it is not necessary. For me, I have to deliberately sit down and relax. Oh, I know I hear the laundry calling, the pile of work stacking up, the “when I get a few free moments” projects glaring at me. I just have to say NO!
So this morning, I am going to sip my coffee (instead of gulp it in the car), take a leisurely shower, and enjoy the quiet of my house. I hope you will too!
Are you a RAD mom looking for help? The best book we’ve found for parenting our RAD kids is When Love Is Not Enough by Nancy Thomas. For parents of children with Reactive Attachment Disorder this is a must have.
We’ve also had much success with Total Transformation by James Lehman. Though it’s not written specifically for RAD kids, the techniques we’ve learned in it have worked very well for ours.
About the author: By Julie HellstromJulie is an awesome parent (along with her husband Matt) to five adopted kiddos and the owner of the Positive Parenting Skills website.
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