Care For Yourself : Self Care for Parents & Caregivers

 

Being a parent is no child’s play. It demands for a lot of courage, determination, and passion. When you are responsible for a child, you are not just responsible for the obvious things like safety and welfare, you are also in charge of the way they behave, react, and carry themselves.

 To be honest, that is a huge weight to shoulder.

 That’s why we believe it is deeply important to indulge in self-care strategies for parents and caregivers of children, once in a while. This may sound controversial, but it is true: you are not selfish if you take a little time off, and this certainly doesn’t make you a bad parent.

When parents don’t spend time on some much deserved self-care, they become more vulnerable to increased levels of stress, fatigue, and irritability, which might result in them losing control frequently. In simpler terms, the physical and mental pressures of taking care of a child can cause a burnout.

In order to efficiently and effectively raise a child, mindful parenting and self-care are the solutions.
How would you take care of another human, if you are not capable of taking a breather for yourself?

 If you find yourself nodding your head to the following, it’s high time to take a break:

-        If you feel sleep deprived,

-        You have poor eating habits,

-        You can never exercise regularly,

-        You always fail to stay in bed when you are ill,

-        You always postpone visiting a doctor when you are sick, etc.

Parental burnout, unfortunately, is not limited to these. In the true sense of life, caregiving can be an emotional rollercoaster. Ask yourself some questions:

-        Do you feel selfish if you take a break for yourself?

-        Do you always sideline your own needs?

-        Is it difficult to ask for help? Does asking for help make you feel bad about yourself?

The answers to these questions are natural, you may find yourself saying yes to many. Self-doubt is and will always plague your mind because, in the end, you are human.

Let’s look at some ways to ease your burnout:

-        Understand and spot your stress triggers,

-        Make relaxation a part of your daily schedule,

-        Catch intrusive thoughts and try reasoning them,

-        Try to make minor lifestyle changes, one small step at a time,

-        Don’t be afraid to seek help- physically or emotionally,

-        Figure out healthy coping mechanisms that work for you.

Parents, it is high time you realize that self-care is equally important for the little one. You can’t surely secure a good future for your child, if you are not in it. Rather than bottling your emotions, try releasing them- for yourself and your baby.