Groundhog Parenting

I don’t know about you, but much of 2020 has reminded me of the 90’s Bill Murray classic, “Groundhog Day.” 

For those who haven’t suffered through the flick AT LEAST once, I’ll crassly sum it up for you…Same S#!%. Different Day. Repeat. 

For many parents, our mid-pandemic reality is…Same S#!%. Different Day. Repeat…

Affected only by how we choose to ACT…and REACT. 

So, with an overabundance of Milobsky-household data, we decided to take some time to reflect on what tends to swing our days’ pendulum towards a happy, loving and peace-filled experience. And what might contribute to any contention, frustration or derision. And what we found was prompting, to say the least. 

When it comes to children, I always thought the day depended on which of their personalities came down to breakfast: angel or ogre? 

But what we came to realize was that our day could be determined, not by how we perceived our children at breakfast, but by how we REACTED and ACTED towards them. 

Within every ogre is the angel we connected to the day before. If we react to the ogre, we get…more ogre. And if we channel the inner angel…lo and behold…it manifests!  

If we look for our children’s shortcomings and faults, we will find and emphasize them. 

But if we focus on their strengths, and show affection, kindness, unconditional love and grace, the good will be unmistakable. 

The power to shift the focus, the mood, and the outcome of EACH and EVERY day is in OUR hands. 

With a little mindfulness and intention, the very same day can have a vastly different outcome. 

So, we challenge you, as we face more Groundhog Days ahead… can you shift your reactions and actions…and change your parenting experience?