Full moons and rainy days... so that's why the kiddos are cranky

It's a dismal rainy Monday here in Western PA. Makes me think of Karen Carpenter singing,

What I've got they used to call the blues
Nothin' is really wrong, feelin' like I don't belong
Walkin' around, some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Apparently there was something to the lyrics of this song. Apparently, rainy weather can bring out the worst, not only in adults, but in children, too. If your kids are acting especially cranky, blame it on the weather!

In 1898, Edwin G. Dexter conducted a research study in several schools in Denver, Colorado. He found that in over 600 corporal punishment cases, weather was clearly a key factor. But there is even more recent evidence indicating that a change in barometric pressure is directly responsible for kids acting up.

Since children's brains are not quite developed yet, falling barometric pressure creates an atmosphere that constricts capillaries, reducing the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain, according to Dr. Maria Simonson of Johns Hopkins.

This goes with stormy weather as well as full moons. That means, following last night's blood moon, kids are in for a double whammy here in Pittsburgh. Look out!

The fact is that full moons and falling barometers affect many. We already know that maternity wards fill up when the moon is full, but did you know that the jails fill up, too. Domestic violence cases soar, as do bar fights, and even murders. According to Michael Zimecki, of the Polish Academy of Sciences, lunar activity influences both behavior and health.

I could cite study after study, but let's face it -- the only thing that concerns you right now is that toddler bouncing off the walls, or the whiny teenager who's suddenly crying at the drop of a hat (or iPhone, which might be worth crying about). 

Is there a solution? Not that I know of. But knowledge is power, right? And I'm arming you with the knowledge that today, all over the world and especially in Western PA and other rainy places, you might need an extra boost of patience... both for your kiddos and for yourself. After all, rainy days and Mondays and full moons affect us all.

Wishing you well,

Why not let Karen soothe you? Maybe she can even calm the kiddos.