How to Properly Loose it....

We've hit our new high here in the snow covered South with our 4th snow day in a row.  Many parents survive 1 maybe 2 snow days with their wonderful cherubs, but we're moving into "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" stage with snow day 3 and NOW 4.  So if you're going to lose it in front of your children, you must do it properly to achieve the best effect.

You must start with the threats as a way to build up to the proper "she's gone off the deep end," atmosphere,  you can use the usual, "Don't make me come up there" or the "You just wait until your father gets home" add in a few ""stop it, just stop it"  sprinkled with a Wait until I get my hands on you" and just to complete the mood finish with, "OK, that's it...."  You can choose to raise your voice but we suggest a low deep voice to get attention.

When things in the house seem to move past that just on the edge of control to whoops there it goes, you know that moment....when the dog decides to poop on the floor then walks by with a "lady it stinks in here, clean that up" or someone decides to draw on their face with Sharpie, or you've heard your last, "Is too, is not, is too, is not"  It all snaps, things blur and you hit that wormhole where you're not sure what happens in the next 2 minutes.

When you lose it you have two choices, you can wither away to a seat in the chair with the drama of Scarlet O'Hara until everyone comes over and needs to check you for a pulse.  Or you can do it with gusto.  If you choose Gusto,  play Rumplestilkskin and jump up and down as you babble something coherently while pulling at your hair, or you can play referee by grabbing both children by whatever's close (my personal choice is hair) to keep them from spraying toothpaste on each other, keeping just enough of a lid on it to put them on the couch before you start yelling.  If you choose to loose it, then choose wisely, what your children will see as "wow, we really did it this time" and give it everything for maximum effect.  If you go halfway, they'll mutter that "Mom's in one of her moods" and continue said behavior, but you bouncing up and down in the kitchen like Tigger with steam coming out of your ears, this helps them fifure out this is serious enough to stop their behavior and find out if they need to call the guys in the white coats.  Just like everything in life, give it everything.

So as we move into snow day number 4, remember just like everything in life, give it everything, even if you choose a specific time tomorrow to lose it, do it well.  How do you loose it?