Inflexibility is a thief. It can steal opportunities and relationships. Those with a non-flexible mindset can’t go with the flow. They are rigid in how they feel things should be done and often unable to shift gears when situations don’t go their way. This can cause a bunch of problems in every arena, especially when raising kids, where being able to go with the flow is about the only thing keeping you from disaster.

We get it: Flexibility often runs counter to the scheduled, consistent world of parenting. But flexibility comes when you can see a situation for what it is, rather than what you want it to be, and accept those circumstances. It’s an active choice that you must make, not allowing yourself to be carried away by your emotions. So how do you catch yourself when you’re being a bit too rigid? Here’s where to start.