We all have bad days. But what happens when bad days turn into bad weeks, and bad months? What happens when you can't shake the bad attitude you've somehow grown into?

When mom has a bad attitude, it rubs off on the children and soon enough, the days turn into a regular, sour lifestyle. We must rid ourselves of the 'tude if we want to live and raise our children in a [more] peaceful home environment.

The first thing we need to do is

Consider the Cause and Recognize the Solution

Sleep Deprivation--Maybe you're sleep deprived from having a baby or health problems. This could lead to some major mentality mess ups. I remember after my 3rd child was born, he would not sleep. Period. Sleep deprivation was so bad for me that I slipped into a state of depression. I couldn't help it. My body wasn't getting the rest it needed therefore my mentality was not functioning normally. I was constantly hard on myself and critical all the time. When I finally decided to sleep train my son, I could not believe the difference in my mentality and my attitude. It was like I woke up from a fog!

Poor Diet--If you're not eating a diet rich in protein, produce, and healthy grains, it can also have an effect on your mood. Too many sugary foods or other foods lacking important vitamins, will not help your body and mind function optimally. Having a piece of fruit in the morning is important to get your blood sugar level up which helps prevent early morning mood swings. Seriously, don't skip this or blow it off. Not only is it good for you, but it's good for the children who are watching you. Oh, don't forget the water; and lots of it!

Selfish Ambitions--You'd be surprised at how often this is a root cause of so many of our attitude problems. {Ask me how I know}. We can form an attitude when our plans become messed up, when our children interfere with what we want to do. We must hold to our plans and expectations loosely. When a child needs correction in the middle of the supermarket, we shouldn't add to the stress through anger and frustration. Yes, it would have been easier to just get through the shopping trip with no issues, but it's almost never the ideal, is it? Embrace that reality and your expectations are no longer out of reach.

The next thing we need to do is

Be Intentional About Change

If we don't keep this in the front of our mind, if we aren't conscious about it, we aren't going to change. We literally need to be deliberate about changing our attitude and that usually means changing our mindsets about something. It might even mean changing our plans.

Recognize children are not and will not be perfect. Ever.

One of my biggest attitude issues stemmed from the false belief that my children should be perfect. I know, it's silly isn't it? Lame even. But that was my reality, regardless of how unrealistic it was!

The word "perfect" may not have been the exact word etched in my head. It was more like, "100% obedience, 100% of the time" or "No whining should ever occur" (as long as I was never giving into it). Guess what? That simply is not the case. Even when I never gave in, my kids would still whine. They're kids. And they are imperfect. Like me.

I challenge you to take a deep look today to see where your own bad attitude might stem from--and be intentional about change!

Joy in Christ, Christin - Joyful Mothering