Why should you care about Mercury in Retrograde? It may explain a thing or two!
If you feel like your kids have been abnormally difficult or emotional lately, you’re not alone. Many people are directly correlating this shift in behavior to Mercury being in retrograde. Now, I know not everyone believes in astrology, but I’m almost willing to take any explanation as to why my normally sweet, angelic children have turned into demon spawn overnight.
In 2022, Mercury will be in retrograde four times:
- January 14 – February 3
- May 10 – June 3
- September 9 – October 2
- December 29 – January 18, 2023
Astrology aside, there is somewhat of a scientific explanation of how Mercury appears in retrograde. In reality, the retrograde motion is an optical illusion. This illusion is created when the observed planet, Mercury, appears to temporarily reverse the direction of its orbit when it passes by Earth or when Earth passes by it. So, this is all caused by an optical illusion?!
Wait! Before you dismiss me as a conspiracy theorist, just hear me out. I was skeptical at first, but the more I read up on this, the more I realized that this may have some correlation to all of the nonsense that has been happening over the past few weeks. Mercury Retrograde traditionally is characterized by frustrating miscommunications, technological meltdowns, and travel mishaps. Have any of these things happened to you in the past few weeks? I’m not looking so crazy, now am I?!
Something we CAN do, whether it is during retrograde or not, is to be more deliberate and careful when we are communicating with others. Especially by text or email, there are so many opportunities for miscommunication to occur. Tone or intent can be easily misinterpreted. The political arena also seems to be a bit volatile during these times, so try to avoid sensitive discussions that could lead to major arguments. It’s okay to take a little time before responding to someone or to request that a conversation be tabled until later.
Alright lady, get to the meat and potatoes. Tell me how this is affecting my kiddos and how we can all maintain some sanity during retrograde! Now, I wouldn’t typically take advice from a website called celebrityparentsmag.com but, I felt these were everyday reminders that I need even without Mercury sticking its nose in our business.
Practice Patience
It’s easy to get frustrated with your child, especially when you have to repeat yourself ALL the time. In these times, it’s easy to use a more aggressive tone. It helps to react in a softer, more gentle tone to approach the situation.
Words Matter
In my case, I have a 10-year-old with a sarcastic attitude, and it’s so easy to reply with sarcasm. It’s basically another language in our house at this point. I have realized, though, that there is a time and place for it. In the middle of a stressful situation is not necessarily the time or the place.
Make the Most of It
Get silly. Get crazy. Find your inner child and do the things your kids like to do. I will be the first to admit— I don’t like to “play.” I don’t like to pretend Barbie is going to the mall with Skipper. I don’t like to play hide-and-seek (which my kids are the WORST at). When I occasionally take time to do those things I might hate doing, as much as it pains me to admit, it ends up being fun.
Untangle the Tech
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to figure out a technology problem while you are being pulled in several different directions or the kids keep saying, “Netflix isn’t working.” Take a breath. This problem is only temporary. Turn this into a positive situation and work to solve the issue.
Mindfulness Matters
Team up with your kids to open lines of communication. Let them know how you are feeling and encourage them to open up to share how they feel. Letting your kids in instead of closing them out helps them to understand how their actions are affecting you. For instance, I might say something like, “when you fight with your sister, it makes me sad and upset that you are not being kind to each other.” Most of the time, the last thing a child wants to do is upset their parents. This could open up the conversation for your child to say, “mom, it really upsets me when you yell at me.”
So, whether or not you believe in the Mercury Retrograde hype, I think we can all agree that we could all use a little reminder to slow down and think before reacting in everyday situations. You’re doing a great job! It’s okay to be messy and miscommunicate sometimes. Be gentle and patient with yourself and take time before responding to or initiating a conversation. You got this, mama!
