Is a Single Parent Meltdown different than the type of meltdown you would have if you weren't a single parent?
MELTDOWN
The term conjures images of a toddler in the midst of a throw down in the aisle of a grocery store - not a parent with their head on a desk. Single parents have meltdown moments too - or at least I seem to.
Is my "single parent" meltdown different than what it would have been were I not single? Yes.
Before I worried about shopping, cleaning and what to cook. Now I wonder when an invoice with work will be paid, how much the water bill will be this quarter and when will the rat race ever end?
My meltdowns have a lot more to do with stress and frustration now. Before, they were largely emotional meltdowns and resulted in tears. The single parent meltdowns still involve tears, but a deeper anxiety too.
Money is a larger concern now. When there is only one paycheck coming in, the future can seem a lot shakier. Being shakier results in more anxiety, which results in more stress, and it is a never ending cycle of worry and stress it seems.
I've taken on the Guatemelan Worry Doll approach to solve my problems. If you don't know the tradition, this is how it works. Children in Guatemela are given handmade stick dolls with brightly colored clothing. These dolls are usually very small to clothespin size. It is usually a set of six dolls, all which come in a cloth pouch. Before bed each night, the child tells the worry doll a problem, sticks it in the pouch, puts it under the pillow before bedtime and the worry doll will carry it away while they sleep.
It's a great story for kids, however, I find some days my dolls have to carry more than one worry. Then they demand overtime money....
Seriously, writing down stresses can ease the impending doom of a single parent meltdown too. Seeing the list of stresses may put your situation into focus - it may seem bad in your head, but in paper it looks more manageable. Someone, somwhere else, is probably having a harder time than you are right now.
Other ways to handle single parent meltdowns: call a friend, find a support group or seek a professional. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, you just may need a little boost to find it some days.
And last, but not least, eat some ice cream. The spoon in the container of ice cream has never failed me.
Do you have meltdowns every now and then? How do you handle them? What makes you feel better? Start a discussion and let me know!
