Yay! New blog feature.
We’ve written extensively on PPD and how important it is for moms to take time for themselves. This recharges our social battery and keeps us balanced, so our entire lives aren’t completely ruled by our kids.
Looking forward, I came across a teen parenting account that said that one of the reasons teens stop looking to their parents for advice and quality time is because their parents aren’t fun. During high school, my parents never really had friends. They would work, make dinner, and watch something on the couch…every…damn…night. I love an introverted bed rot, but seriously no other people anywhere in the radar? Not even a best friend that I’ve ever heard of?
I feel like most of the parents I appreciated growing up were those that had their own social lives; they played more roles than just being a parent or an employee. They had interests and hobbies and would go out for girls nights. Their personal schedules were just as involved as their kids’. Overall, I feel like their homes were just lighter; and consequently, their villages were bigger.
So, Mary and I would like to propose a trade. We will exchange two playdate reviews, for two Momdate reviews. We love doing fun stuff with our kids, but we’d also like to try out some fun, new things that are a little more age-appropriate for us.
This past January, Mary turned 40 and I planned a day for us to celebrate. I went back and forth on what we haven’t done yet, and what would be especially fun for a milestone birthday. I thought about spa appointments, shopping, brunch, and finally landed on Spin Art Atlanta’s Rage Room.
We’ve done a couple different paint sessions and workshops, all of which are fun to do with friends; but after a while, you don’t really need more art on your walls. The Rage Room Short Fuse package gave us 30 minutes in a black-lit room with UV glow paint and a box of plates, mugs, glasses and bottles to break. They also supplied baseball bats, a crowbar, and hammers.
We got protective boots, helmets, gloves and goggles, along with coveralls. We were also able to Bluetooth our own playlist into the room. You can also pay for additional time or more items to break.
The OT Part
Yes folks, mom rage is a real thing. Anger is a natural emotion that everyone encounters now and then, but rage pushes it to an entirely different level—it’s like anger amplified to the max.
When rage takes hold, the emotional center of our brain (the amygdala) kicks into high gear, prepping us to fight with a do-or-die mentality. The problem is that this explosive response is sometimes over things that don’t call for it. Why is your room not cleaned?! AAH! *Hulk smash* (sound familiar?)
Anger is sometimes referred to as a “secondary emotion” as it serves to protect vulnerable feelings. For moms, it may be stress, overwhelm, fear, and sadness. When we don’t vent out these sentiments, we tend to push it deep down. These unprocessed emotions can build up, leading to explosive outbursts of rage.
Destructive Therapy
Rage rooms are specially-designed environments where people can release their anger by smashing items like furniture or outdated electronics. At its core, these rooms offer a form of destruction therapy as a means of emotional release. Though the concept may seem unusual (and controversial), advocates believe it taps into our primal instincts and provides a unique catharsis for pent-up emotions.
Although rage rooms have been around since the days of Y2K (cue the Office Space scene), destruction therapy can be traced back to the 1970s when psychologists began exploring alternative methods for emotional expression. Participating in controlled destructive activities triggers the release of various chemicals in the body, such as adrenaline and endorphins. This surge often leads to feelings of euphoria, providing temporary relief from stress and anxiety, similar to a good scare.
Destruction therapy offers a visceral approach to confronting and working through negative emotions. The act of physically breaking objects can symbolize breaking through emotional barriers and reclaiming a sense of control. However, critics suggest that this practice might inadvertently encourage aggressive tendencies. For instance, if someone finds enjoyment in smashing a TV with a baseball bat, they may be more likely to repeat such actions in moments of frustration rather than seeking constructive communication. While opinions remain divided, there’s currently insufficient research to determine whether rage rooms have lasting positive or negative effects. Until then, we can be like Limp Bizkit and break stuff.
The Mom Part
After talking about visiting a rage room for ages, we finally made it happen—and it was quite the experience. There are additional rules that Spin Art gave us, mostly to protect us from broken glass. We were also lucky because we showed up late for our appointment and the group reserved for after us had cancelled.
Surprisingly, we weren’t as unbridled with our aggression as we’d imagined. In fact, we found ourselves apologizing to the objects we were about to smash (who even does that?!). There was also a cute elephant mug that I found myself wanting to save and take home. See, hearts of gold after all…
Still, the physical effort and the oddly satisfying sounds of things breaking (more like popping after you take a baseball bat to them) made the whole thing worthwhile and very entertaining. We left feeling calm and refreshed, much like after a solid workout. Would we go again? Probably, but I do wonder how different it would feel if we were bottling up some frustration beforehand. Would it deliver the same dopamine kick as belting out lyrics at a rock concert or hurling axes at a target? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Things to consider
No, a rage room does not replace conventional therapy, especially if you have anger issues. But, it can serve as a great bonding experience with friends and family 18+, especially if you’ve never tried it before. New experiences with an adrenaline kick and dopamine always create fun and meaningful memories with people you care about. Great mom date had by all.
While we thought we would pump Limp Bizkit or Rage Against the Machine the whole time, “Look What You Made Me Do” actually hit way better.
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