Turning the bad days into good ones

Some days just don’t go right. Especially with littles involved there’s lots of potential for things to not go as planned. Maybe someone is sick, your little woke up on the wrong side of the bed, milk spilled everywhere, your toddler threw a tantrum in the grocery store or everything just seems to be going wrong. Over the last couple years of being a stay at home mama, I have found some practical ways that really do turn a bad day around and I am going to share them with you today! Some of these ideas are for the littles and some are just for you. Because as the saying goes, if mama ain’t happy…you know the rest :)

1. Play teachings or music

Few things can lift our spirits quite like some good music. With my littles I like to play worship music or Disney music, fun music, whatever our mood is. But it always helps lighten the mood in our home and usually turns into a dance party!

Some other things I love listening to while doing the dishes or driving are Bible teachings or Focus on the Family programs. I use the Focus on the Family app and listen to their program all the time. I love their heart for moms and families and always find it so encouraging.

2. Ditch the schedule

Sometimes this isn’t possible, but when your littles are especially small, changing the schedule is usually very possible and often necessary. If you have a day of errands planned and all of you are grumpy and exhausted after the first one, consider moving your other errands to another day and head home. If you’re like me in the sense that you like getting your to-do list done, this can be really challenging sometimes. But just keep in mind, your priorities are your littles and husband first and everything else is secondary. The to-do list will get done eventually, don’t worry.

3. Make it a movie day

When I notice we are having an especially bad day, sometimes I will just declare it a movie day! This doesn’t mean I neglect all my work at home but since my littles are the priority, snuggling on the couch for a little while is sometimes way more important than anything else I have going on. Getting everyone snug in comfy clothes, making popcorn and watching a movie together is one of my favorite ways to turn a bad day around!

4. Light a candle

What is it about candles? I don’t know if you’re a candle person, but something about them just soothes me and makes our home feel so cozy.

5. Take a break

Are you behind on sleep? Have you been running around like crazy? As important as it is to not be idle in our days, it’s also important to create some rest time. If you are able to take a short nap while your littles nap, that’s awesome! Or maybe if they are out of the napping stage, have them spend some quiet time reading a book or playing quietly in their room so you can have a little rest time yourself. It’s really good for both you and your littles to have some quiet time to recoup during the day.

6. Get dressed and showered

It’s amazing what a difference this simple act can make. If you’ve had a rushed morning, you might find yourself still in sweats at lunch time. When this happens I notice it affects my mood and something as simple as a quick shower can really turn things around. Getting dressed each day and being prepared for whatever may happen is so helpful. On a practical level, it’s great to know that if you need to run to the store last minute or someone stops by the house, you’re prepared.

7. Go outside

Getting out in nature and enjoying God’s creation is one of the best ways to cure a bad day. For my littles, this is especially true. They love being outside so much and it’s a great way to get their energy out. The fresh air, the views, the quiet, it’s all so wonderful! If you’ve been inside a little too much and have the option to get outside, go for it!

8. Turn that frown upside down

Sometimes a switch in our attitude and tone in our home can be made simply by making the decision to choose joy! We have so much to be thankful for and so many good things we can put our thoughts on. Choosing joy is as easy as deciding to not let the negative get the best of you. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

9. Pray

It’s always a good thing to pray to the Lord throughout our day seeking Him, thanking Him and asking for strength and wisdom. But praying is especially important on the tough days! He cares for us!

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. He cares about whatever we care about!

So there you have it, my simple ideas to turn things around when nothing seems to be going right. I hope these ideas are an encouragement to you and offer some practical help as well. If none of those ideas work, here’s a video of Landon dancing at Downtown Disney a couple years ago that’s sure to make you smile :)

What do you do to turn a “bad day” around at your house? I’d love to read your ideas in the comments!

Xo,

Chrissy