I'm a shit parent when I'm on my period

[Blomdd]

And I need to do something about it. I've always suffered with PMS but before I had kids I could just bury my head in my work and hide away on the sofa with a box of chocolates. Now, I need to be there for my five year old, without being shouty, irritable and just a miserable person. It's like I change completely. I go from being kind, compassionate and patient, to completely intolerant during the few days before and first days of my period. Has anyone found anything that actually works?

@Blomdd

Primrose evening oil capsules ive heard are beneficial for PMS you are suffering with

You can get them for Holland Barrett health food shops or similar shops

Also can order online too

No but telling my kids why I’m being awful and trying really hard/ apologising straight away has helped

Ah this was me too ill admit.

Not now as I'm pregnant so no periods, but the grumpy me will undoubtedly come back with a vengeance once baby is born! It'd horrible, especially when you know you're being an arse but can't help it!

Use it as a learning thing for them.

This is ok. You're human. You're self aware. Everybody gets moody sometimes, different triggers.

Saying sorry, genuinely, explaining why, not being normally like that, will help them with compassion?

I had the mirena coil fitted which I thought might help but it hasn't (periods are very light now in comparison though thankfully). I've just had enough. I'm non functional for about a week.

Anti depressants, but I had pmdd,

I do all of this but he's only 5 and don't think he understands properly just yet. I'll keep doing this but if there's anything else that might help I'd like to try in tandem.

I'm not sure mine is as bad as pmdd (so sorry ) but it's still pretty rough. I get shouty, which is made worse by becoming forgetful and slow which means I struggle to get organised. I just feel lost when it's my time of the month. Like I want to hibernate or scream.

I track my periods as mine are like clockwork now. So I know exactly when I will struggle. I don't get the rage so bad these days, but I do get exhausted, emotional and general feeling of apathy in the days before. This is me this weekend!

Make life easy on yourself. Have a few days where you and DC can just slob out and do next to nothing. Make lazy meals etc.

My kids are an age where they can entertain themselves a lot more so they are just parked in front of the console this morning and I'm going to my parents this afternoon so they will entertained by someone else. They go to their dad's tomorrow so I can just hide under the duvet then. I know I sound like a terrible parent. But the other three weekends a month we are usually out and about and busy.

CBT? Learning to control impulses. After all, if you can't manage that after some (or a lot of) guidance, then it must be a serious mental disorder and needs to be medicated.

I try and reign it in but if I do get irritated with them or grumpy I apologise and explain. We are humans not robots! It's healthy for kids to see parents have emotions (so long as it's not abusive of course) and it's good to see us set an example of apologising if we are in the wrong.