Summer is hot! The Southeast is an area of the country that, June through September, can deliver some truly miserably muggy days.
With heat often comes anger, frustration, and short tempers.
Whether you are 5 or 50, when you are hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable, you are not at your best. There is a reason people talk about “cooling down” and “letting off steam” when discussing how to de-escalate an argument- we get physically heated when angry! And when you combine that with an already hot outside temperature, the results can be messy.
Do yourself and your family a favor, and beat the heat with a few simple tips.
- Save the tough conversations for when you’re at your best. Being well rested, cool and comfortable, and well fed may seem like they are things unrelated to having arguments, but if you keep those factors taken care of you’ll be a more effective, patient, and calm communicator.
- Recognize when your kids are overwhelmed and overheated, and give them time to cool off. No one wins when everyone is upset and overwhelmed.
- Give all members of the family some down time in the middle of the day away from each other. By mid afternoon, everyone starts getting on each others’ nerves, so scheduling in some consistent breaks you can avoid the bickering and picking that happens when kids are tired of each other and worn out from the morning’s activities.
With these small techniques and a few trips to the pool, you and your family will enjoy each other and your summer!
Molly Halbrooks, LAMFT
mhalbrooks @ growcounseling.com