When Parenting gets Tough, Make a Game out of it

Parenting during a pandemic is no joke y'all...

A week ago now feels like a totally different dimension. A week ago, I was gainfully employed. I'd leave the house and head to work every morning and return in the evening. A week ago, I had a pretty good idea of what I was doing. A week ago, I had this parenting thing totally under control...for the most part.

Oh how the tables can turn in a week.

In a little under a week I became temporarily unemployed and a full time stay at home parent...

First, I'd like to say that every stay at home parent deserves to be on someone's payroll. I don't know who should be paying, but someone definitely should, because this is by far the toughest job I've ever had... Secondly, I want to say that although I joke about parenting during this tragic and uncertain time, I can not say enough how grateful I am to all of our front-line healthcare workers. You all are the real heroes.

Now back to my parenting pity party for one.

I have to be honest and say that I struggle as a parent to be patient and remain calm when my threenager hits a nerve. I also struggle with finding creative ways to guide my kiddo to do the things she needs to do but she doesn't want to do.

Do you believe in divine intervention? I do.

While in the midst of a parenting breakdown, I received an email about a parenting book that I might be interested in reading. I never really believed much in parenting books, or really any self-help book for that matter. I just didn't think that most tips and advice from these books could be applicable to my life. I could not have been so wrong...

The book I'm referring to is called "Parenting—Let’s Make a Game of It", by Karen Thurm Safran.

Karen had reached out to me after reading one of my posts. I was skeptical but interested in seeing what this book was all about given my current parenting predicament.

I AM OBSESSED.

"Parenting-Let's Make a Game of It" is an incredibly witty and creative book with relatable tips and tricks for taming your kiddos and making it fun! The book is broken down into easy to read sections that include tips for getting your child to listen, to how to handle overwhelm, and tips to avoid boredom. Each section includes a variety of short stories and scenarios that apply each tip or trick.

My personal favorite snippet from the book is actually the very first chapter. The chapter is called "Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Drink", and it is a story about how to get your child to drink when they are sick. The idea is to create a game to get your child to do the task (in this case drink more water) you'd like them to do. This clever and silly story totally sealed the deal for me on this book and made to want to keep reading! Every short story and snippet is so relatable and can translate in so many different areas of parenting.

Karen Thurm Safran utilizes her experiences to help parents navigate the areas of parenthood that tend to be a little tricky! Karen has spent many years working in K-12 Education Technology, which is evident throughout her confidently written book. I HIGHLY recommend reading this book. I promise you that you will find so many different techniques to try with your kiddos.

Want more info on Karen Thurm Safran and her book "Parenting-Let's Make a Game of it"? Head to the link HERE for more information!

Want to get your hands on a copy of this fabulous find? Find "Parenting-Let's Make a Game of it" on Amazon HERE!

When parenting gets tough, make a game out of it!