On Mother’s Day, we celebrate the selfless heroes in our children’s lives, and each and every one of you moms and mother figures deserves a big thank you! Thank you for the sleepless nights, the lunches packed, the planning and worrying, and most of all, the love that you share with your children every day.

Being a parent is the best job on the planet, but it may also be the hardest. Remember, an escalated adult cannot help an escalated child. We can’t do our best parenting, teach life’s important lessons, or even be our most rational selves when we are frustrated or overwhelmed. As long as it is safe to step away from your child, take a moment to do something that calms you before reacting to a child that is escalated.

You can tell your child, “Mommy is going to the bathroom. I want you to sit here with your coloring book for three minutes until I come back.” Step into that bathroom and scream into a towel if you need to! Then call a trusted person for support, or use one of the calm down activities listed above. Moms, it is okay to take care of yourself, and in fact, it is the best way to help your escalated child.

I hope on this Mother’s Day weekend, you are able to enjoy a little extra downtime and TLC. Call your own mom or an old friend, take an extra-long walk/run, or spend some extra “me time” on the patio or in the bathtub.