Breaks That Save My Attitude

I had used the timeout tactic on my children many times.  They were well acquainted with sitting by themselves, calming themselves, and pondering a new attitude.  However, one particular day I took a new approach, and I put myself in timeout. My children were not being bad, instead, I needed a reset. 

You know those days? When everything is getting on your nerves? So, in one of those moments when I wanted to yell at my children, I looked at them and said with my stern mommy voice, “Mom is going to take a timeout. I am in a bad mood. I need a new attitude. Do not bother mom while she is in timeout.”  And I stormed off to my room leaving behind two little bewildered faces.  

These two children who followed me everywhere did not one time bother me when I was in timeout that day.  We laugh about it today, but that moment was instrumental for me. So much that I began implementing a mom’s timeout on a regular basis.  It became a time when I could refocus my thoughts, my attitudes, my actions, etc.  

Because, let’s be real, there are many opportunities when this is needed.

How can we shift the trajectory of our day and implement a mom or wife timeout and experience a shift in our heart and attitude? 

Here are three tips for mom’s timeout:

First, locate your space. Where will you go for your time to refocus?

Second, place a journal near the space so you are able to journal three things you are  grateful for when you arrive.  Some days ladies, it is hard to come up with three gratefuls, but I sit there until I write three gratefuls down.  Some days my gratefuls are all fancy and spiritual. Other days my thankfuls are as simple as thank you for summer days.  It’s not as much what you write as it is changing your perspective that matters.

Friend, I must confess that sometimes this is the extent of my timeout.  Longer timeouts are wonderful but sometimes five minutes or less is all the timeout time I get.  When I am blessed with a longer timeout, then I dig into God’s word by using my First 5 app by Proverbs 31 ministries.  Some days, I need two timeouts!  

Recently, I had a friend suggest that I choose one truth to add to my journal during timeout.  This suggestion has radically changed my timeout time.  It has helped me move from reading God’s word to applying God’s word.  I consider questions like these:

How is this passage going to impact me today?  

What truth from His word today do I need to remember?  

I use the First Five App for my daily quiet time.  One day we read Psalm 81. This could have been a Psalm that I read through and missed a truth had I not been asking God to speak to me.  As I read, verse 10 jumped right off the page and into my heart. “For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt.  Open your mouth wide and I will fill it with good things.” My heart cried out, “Oh, Lord, help me position myself in you and open my mouth for you to fill it with good things.  Thank you for rescuing me and filling me with good things.” This one simple tweak of asking God to give me a truth during my timeout has been powerful for me. Scripture now becomes personal and practical.

Why not join me in going to timeout? Not only will you find yourself as a more peaceful mother, you’ll experience new joy in your marriage. The more we connect with and seek to be in the presence of our Father to realign our hearts and reset our minds, the more we see situations and people through His eyes.

Timeouts aren’t just for kids, they are for you, too. I pray these three timeout tips help you connect with your family, your husband, and your heavenly Father.

Wife Step: Want to take it a step further? Add these steps to your timeout and tell us how it goes!

1. List three things you are grateful for
2. List a household task, an intentional fun activity to do with your kids, and a way to bless your husband today
3. List one Biblical truth to hold onto today.

Karen lives in Madison, Alabama with her husband and three children. Karen has served as Preschool and Children’s Pastor and has been involved in women’s ministry for many years leading small groups, making hospital visits, organizing retreats, and encouraging the hearts of women. Karen now blogs at Glimpses of Faith and Struggles.  What started out as a way to communicate medical facts has become a place where Karen uses life experiences to encourage others in their life journey.  When she’s not busy caring for her family or writing, you might find her cooking or crafting.