I've heard this over and over from moms everywhere: I never knew I had anger issues until I had children.
You understand, right? We're not abusive or violent. But darn it, kids can trigger anger in us like no one else.
I am NOT perfect, but WOW, I have been learning a lot about this lately and have really grown a lot in this area. Even my kids are noticing the difference (more on that in a minute)!
I know that it's hard to deal with mom anger, and friend, I WANT TO HELP YOU.
I want to share some anger strategies that work.
But MOST OF ALL…
I want to offer loads of grace if mom anger is something you struggle with too.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Let's work through this together.
We're going to talk about:
- My story about how I became a less angry mom (yes, it's possible!)
- Three powerful ways to control in-the-moment anger (who doesn't need that?!); and
- The critical fact we must remember when dealing with mommy anger
Becoming a Less Angry Mom (It Is Possible)
I had an amazing mom moment this week. You know, those moments when you realize that finally some growth is happening?
Except this time I was the one who had grown.
Let me share a story.
Last Thursday, while our family was studying Bible verses on keeping peace and handling anger, my eleven-year-old suddenly started crying as he shared his Bible verse (Matthew 5:9).
I started crying too as he choked out these words:
“Mom, you are the one who keeps the peace around here when we're all angry at each other. I'm so grateful for you.”
He came over to where I was sitting and gave me a massive, tear-laden hug.
I was utterly blown away: First, at my son's beautiful expression of emotion; and second, as I realized this:
I'd (finally) made great progress toward being a less angry mom (something I never thought possible).
One Very Important Truth About Mommy Anger
If you want to really, really get on top of mommy anger, you must realize and accept this fact:
Dealing with anger is a growth process.
(I bolded that for BOTH of us because we CAN'T forget it!)
Being less angry is not a state we arrive at.
It's a new lifestyle we discover–full of new habits, and new thought processes that we slowly develop.
You may also like these other posts on anger:
5 Steps to Turn Mommy Anger Into a Teachable Moment
Dealing with the Guilt of Mommy Anger