Sock Moments

No matter how your infant made an appearance into the world, most pre-birth classes teach moms (and dads) exactly how to breathe in order to support the process of getting these tiny humans out… 

What no one tells you, is that even more importantly, for your sanity- and the preservation of your household- you will be required to use the skill of regulated breathing in parenting- daily- for the rest of your life…

Honestly - let’s just talk some real parenting truths for a moment. This was my pre 7am morning a few days ago:

“Mom, someone put water in the toothpaste!” (Actual meaning of “someone” is “my sister”. And I say this part often - No one has maliciously put water inside the toothpaste - water enters toothpaste tubes when lids are not put back on!) 

In a state: “Mom, there’s gel on my toothbrush. He put gel on my toothbrush!” (No darling, your toothbrush was left in a draw near said gel - that also did not have a lid on!) 

Let’s not forget the hand-picked flowers for the teacher that caused an irritated “allergy nose”, and the muddy shoes in the house from the garden-picking experience…

Then there was having to hold the space for the inevitable “wobblies” that resulted from the disappearance of a homework book… Oh yes, and having to sit in the middle of the passage on the floor trying to help a sensory-sensitive toe find its way into an annoying sock while nervous systems were teetering on cliff ledges… 

This is real parenting life. This is when every breathing skill you ever learnt becomes your only path to freedom… 

In these times of completely normal household chaos, your ability to regulate as a parent is your only chance to return calm to your home… and to your own nervous system… It’s also your best chance of helping your child find THEIR way back to calm…(Through co-regulation).

Learning to breathe through whatever parenting throws your way is essential, along with the flashing neon invisible mantra in front of your eyes- “It’s not personal”. Whatever is going down - it’s really, really NOT personal, and when you can remember that, then deep breathing and calming of your own being is just SO much easier. 

So, breathe, breathe, breathe… Slow, long, deep breaths. This frazzled state too shall pass… (Really, it shall).

One more thought: Often, it’s in exactly those irritable sock moments and holding the space on muddy passage floors that the deepest of connections takes place. Just be there. Right there in those sensory-sock and gel-on-toothbrush moments… 

That’s where the magic of real life happens. 

With love and a very deep regulating breath,

Naomi ♥️