As I am putting together some resources for a support group that I will lead tomorrow I thought that it might be wise to have a place for all the links I am sharing with others.
I found these videos very helpful for those preparing to enter the foster care and adoptive family road. You cannot lose with any work from Dr. Karyn Purvis.
The Adoption Connection has a facebook page, group, and podcast. They also give loads of helpful tools and free resources in their show notes.
This podcast is all about Surviving The Holidays.
The Forgotten Initiative has a ton of resources, blog posts, and a facebook page as well as a podcast.
Mike and Kristen Berry’s blog and podcast are helpful. They also have Oasis which opens a couple times a year, you should check it out.
This episode is all about helping our kiddos manage their disappointment during the holidays.
I heard this Stress-Relief Coach recently on a podcast (isn’t that a great title to carry?) and she has this post about self-care for parents and this post “A Survival Guide for Introvert Parents” (Lord knows I needed that one).
Thanksgiving Week
I’m thinking a lot about this Holiday and what it might look like for our large-ish family. I’ve made a plan to do a few things this week that will help this introvert mama prepare for all the kiddos being home all next week and the travel to see family- on my own as Hubby will be working.
1. Sleep (no staying up late to binge-watch Downton Abbey this week, no matter how much I want to.
2. Exercise. For me, it is a two-mile walk every day. I’ve already missed two days this week because of commitments (that happens) but I’ll work hard to get a walk in every day until we travel. This will mean I adjust the time that I usually walk and a couple of days I’ll take all six kiddos with me. Muah ha ha ha ha (some of them really dislike the walk) but I need it- I am a better mom after fresh air and repetitive motion and a little heart rate climb.
3. Easy dinners – that means planning and shopping for them this week.
4. Rest whenever I get a chance. This means taking any pocket of time -wherever I am- and resting in it. I’ve literally slept in the car waiting to pick kids up from school but that is likely just exhaustion. What I mean is finding a couple of minutes to do something that I find restorative like reading or knitting something mindless or napping. Often though this is the ten minutes in the parking lot after I’ve grocery shopped or two minutes in the restroom getting some deep breathes in while asking the kids to wait and please not open the door.
5. Time alone with Hubby. This one is hard to do because this is his busiest time of year at work but sometimes we can get lunch together during the week or sofa dates after the crew has all gone to bed.
6. Schedule and actually take a “recovery day” (or half day this time because of travel). Something easy, fun and restful the day after the “big day”. This year I think I will make waffles in the morning (and hopefully talk my brother into making eggs and bacon) and then have a quick nature hike with the big cousins before we all get back into the car for our drive home. After we get home we will all have a little time to unwind on our own. Or have extra cuddles with mom and watch a movie before getting an early and EASY dinner and an early night to bed. The next day is a birthday so we’ll take it easy that day as well (we actually have two birthdays that week) but that is another post entirely!
I will be sure and let you know if any of my plans worked afterward!
What do you do to prepare for a busy, house-full-of-kids time or what most folks call the Holidays?
Cheers~
Tina
all the grace 