Transitions. It’s not only toddlers and young children who struggle with transitions. It’s adults as well. It can be very challenging when we rush home from work, only to find that we are stressed-out, still stuck at work in our mind, but our body is walking through the door, and we are being greeted by children who may be happy, falling apart or most likely, in need of our full attention.

How can we, as adults, learn to transition from work to home? It is our INTENTION to be present for our children. It is our intention to meet them where they are, whether it’s hungry, needy, happy…each day might bring a different scenario. We’ve got to be prepared!

Here are a few tips that might work for you:

Drive time = Downtime. Once you step into your car, don’t take work calls and don’t make calls that will stress you out (think mother in-law). Make your car into a less-stress zone. Concentrate on the road, turn on your favorite music, take a few deep breaths at each stop light. Start to move away from the workday and think about how you will focus on your family, come up with a story from the day that you want to share with everybody.

Meal Pre-Preparation. If you’ve got young children they are usually hungry between 5 – 6 pm. A little planning will go a long way. Work on some easy options that you can prep in advance and re-heat quickly. Have teenagers? Purchase all the ingredients and teach them how to assemble or cook a few meals. It’s great for you and good for them too! Be sure to sit down with your kids, even if you aren’t hungry!

Pack Your Favorite Snack. Will a coffee or your favorite snack help change your mood? Give it a try on the way home when you are feeling particularly stressed. Maybe you need breathing exercises or a workout? Take care of yourself first, so that you can care for your family.

Literally Change. Throw your favorite jeans and sneakers into a bag and change your clothes before you leave the office. Comfy clothes might be just the ticket to help you ease your transition from work to home.

Experiment with a few different techniques and see if they make a difference. I’d love to hear what works for you!

If you like this article and want to learn more about how to manage the everyday stresses of parenting CONTACT ME. I’d love to connect to see how I can help you…making parents’ lives easier is my passion!