Kids+Toys=Fibro Flare Stress
I used to think it was only me who struggled to find matching socks in the room I dubbed The Abyss, otherwise known as my daughter's room. I felt like I failed somehow or somewhere along the line, embarrassed by the toy-garnished floor.
My childhood life, so my dear friend always says, was COMPLETELY opposite of what others go through. Growing up, I was a neat freak. Everything had a place. On Saturdays, I'd spend hours dusting my room and rearranging the few figurines and collectibles I had. It was fun for me. My Mom was no different. I grew up with a Mom that would put Adrian Monk to shame-- seriously!!!
My Mom always had everything in its place. The house was unbelievably clean and VERY white. White curtains, white walls, counters, appliances, the place looked (and smelled) like a hospital. There were days when I thought Lysol was my Mother's choice of perfume.
Despite my upbringing, I've managed to relax my Vulcan Death Grip on the house-- for Fibro's sake. It wasn't easy. I liked things orderly because it made winter boots easy to find. This kept my stress levels in check. But after a few fibro flares, two kids, and several pets later, it got harder and harder to keep up with the growing toy population. Man those suckers like to multiply! I swear they're like guppies!
Tons of toys can make any parent want to put some caution tape over their kid's room. It also can lead to a ton of stress when you have 20 minutes to get somewhere and can only find one shoe in your three year old's room. Stress for Fibro sufferers isn't good. It can lead to flares.
But how can the overly scheduled moms of today have less stress with the land of The Abyss? Simplify your life. Have your child get into the habit of giving away toys to the less fortunate. It's never too early to start. My 3 year old helps me give her out-grown clothes and toys to the Good Will.
As a family, we also dedicate the months of January and February to clean out our closets and storage areas of any unwanted or unused stuff. These months tend to be the best because life seems to slow down enough after the holidays to accomplish this. Another bonus is that the house is de-cluttered for spring cleaning, making it much easier on fibro-tender muscles to dust and vacuum all the cracks and crevices of the house.
Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,
Kimberley
My childhood life, so my dear friend always says, was COMPLETELY opposite of what others go through. Growing up, I was a neat freak. Everything had a place. On Saturdays, I'd spend hours dusting my room and rearranging the few figurines and collectibles I had. It was fun for me. My Mom was no different. I grew up with a Mom that would put Adrian Monk to shame-- seriously!!!
Despite my upbringing, I've managed to relax my Vulcan Death Grip on the house-- for Fibro's sake. It wasn't easy. I liked things orderly because it made winter boots easy to find. This kept my stress levels in check. But after a few fibro flares, two kids, and several pets later, it got harder and harder to keep up with the growing toy population. Man those suckers like to multiply! I swear they're like guppies!
But how can the overly scheduled moms of today have less stress with the land of The Abyss? Simplify your life. Have your child get into the habit of giving away toys to the less fortunate. It's never too early to start. My 3 year old helps me give her out-grown clothes and toys to the Good Will.
As a family, we also dedicate the months of January and February to clean out our closets and storage areas of any unwanted or unused stuff. These months tend to be the best because life seems to slow down enough after the holidays to accomplish this. Another bonus is that the house is de-cluttered for spring cleaning, making it much easier on fibro-tender muscles to dust and vacuum all the cracks and crevices of the house.
Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,
Kimberley
