My whole life I have loved Disneyland, especially Splash Mountain, taking me to my happy place. But where do you go when you can’t make it to Disneyland regularly? You need a happy place that you can go to on a regular basis.
When life stresses you out, that is the best time to head to that happy place. I recently had one of those days: went to the gym early, worked all day and on my way home had stressful car troubles. Now let me make one thing clear, me and car troubles are a regular thing, I should have taken auto mechanics in school.
So I get home to my stressed out, pregnant wife who has been dealing with a cranky toddler all day and now we have an event that we need to go to. What do you do? You have to be a parent and head to that happy place, but being a parent means that you have stressful days and you still have to be a parent.
I decided that we would grab dinner at my wife’s favorite restaurant and she could go to the event, since she would know more people than me there anyways. This also would give her a break from our crazy screaming child that she had already been dealing with for the past eight hours.
Then I knew it was time to go to that happy place and relieve some stress. For me, running with my son is my happy place. Seeing the smile on his face while we run down the streets of the neighborhood which we live. He laughs to himself, barks back at all the dogs and sits comfortably eating his snacks and drinking his juice. Nothing really makes me happier and more relaxed.
I love when we come home because he is worn out, I am exhausted and always feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. This is why a “happy place” is much needed in every parents life, but you have to make it something that includes your family.
Stressful days are going to happen, for the full time working parent or for the stay at home parent, they happen quite often. If we have a happy place that we can go to with our family members it won’t be a bad thing because you will be spending quality time together.
If you don’t have a happy place, find one. You’re going to need it! Life constantly throws crazy things at you, but having something to do or a place to go makes those stressful situations a little bit easier. And when you’re a parent making anything in life easier is something to hold on to.
