As a parent, we can often forget to take care of ourselves because weโre so busy taking care of our kids. Naturally, itโs our instinct to put our children first – thatโs just what happens when you commit to having children and raising a family.
Because of this, we, therefore, prioritize their needs above ours every day of the week; every week of the year. Itโs just what tends to happen. By doing this, we forget to take proper care of ourselves.ย
The concept of taking care of ourselves can come under different categories. Our physical health is most likely the one that people will think of first: exercising regularly, eating well and so on. Then thereโs the type of health you canโt see: our mental and emotional health. Thankfully this particular category is being made a topic of open conversation on a more regular basis, but thereโs still room for improvement.ย
The overall essence of this post is: healthy and happy parents make for healthy and happy kids. So, with this in mind, you will find some ways we can take better care of ourselves in ways that will benefit our kids, as well as ourselves.
Being Active
Being thoroughly exhausted for a large majority of the time is part of the territory of parenting.
With the lack of sleep, constant stress or worries over whether youโre doing a good job, and the energy it takes to balance our work and home lives, itโs a given that weโll be exhausted.
However, being active will give us a helpful energy boost. Whether itโs a brisk walk with the dog or a full-blown 30 minute HIIT workout – an exercise in any glorious format will help to keep our energy levels up so that we can keep up with our kids.
There are plenty of ways to get in some exercise during the day that wonโt mean we have to sacrifice something else to fit it in. The best thing is that if we get the kids involved, not only will they enjoy themselves; they will also build a solid foundation for a good habit.
Hobbies
As parents, we are more concerned with making sure our kids are enjoying the wonders of life.
Allowing them to explore things and discover what they enjoy is one of the joys of parenting, but it can be at the cost of not dedicating time to doing the things we love.
Whether itโs spending a few minutes practicing the guitar or sitting in front of an easel with a paintbrush in one hand and a palette in the other; keeping up with our hobbies is an important element of being happy and staying true to ourselves.
This is also a great way to bond with your kids and let them get to know you better!
Time to Ourselves
For the sake of both our mental and emotional health, taking time for ourselves to properly relax and let off some steam is integral to living well.
There are numerous ways to perform methods of self-care; from soaking in the tub after putting the kids to bed and reading a book, right up to seeing a counselor or attending a dual diagnosis treatment centre if things are getting really tough.
The point is, in whatever way you take care of yourself, make sure you DO. If you have good habits of taking care of yourself then this will only benefit your kids and yourself in the long run.ย
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