Self-Care & The Working Parent

As parents we always want to do for our children and others, holding their needs above our own at times. Making time for that parent teacher conference and PTO meeting. Meeting the requirement for volunteer hours at your child’s school. Going grocery shopping, making sure the laundry gets done and the house stays clean. Doing everything in your power to be the best mom or dad, sometimes both for your child. Yes, making sure their needs are met is what should be done. But what about your needs, lets walk through this and ask yourself some questions.

• Are your needs being met?
• Do you feel tired and run down?
• Do you feel like you never have enough time to complete tasks or feel that it is not being met to full potential?
• Do you wish you had just five minutes to yourself?

If you find yourself answering yes to any of the above, chances are you are not taking time for yourself. Though our may goal will always be our children and work first. You still need time to yourself, otherwise you will become rundown, have loss of energy and often times may come down with a cold.

Setting time aside for yourself should be a weekly goal, sit back with a book and a glass of wine, take a weekly exercise class, watch your favorite show or even just take a nap. Start out small and build it up, make it twice a week instead of once. Start by planning your week out, list any activities that you would normally do in a weeks’ time. Set aside two days for work, two days for children’s activities, two days for family time and a day for yourself. Now even the best laid plans can need to be changed so no worries, switch a family day for a workday if it works better during that particular week, the main goal is to meet your emotional and mental needs.

Now that you have the schedule part figured out find ways to fill your time. It does not have to be the same activity weekly maybe one week you go to get nails down, while another you go shopping by yourself. You may not think it but going shopping without little people throwing everything in sight into the cart can be mentally fulfilling, you may even stick to your shopping list. Take a bubble bath, start a hobby, journal, writing down your thoughts can help in so many ways, even clear your brain fog.

Taking just twenty minutes for yourself a week can help you de-stress, sleep better, and all around just feel better. The day to day things will still be there the next day that will never change. Taking care of yourself so that your there for the people that matter the most to you, now that’s priority. Attached you will find a 30 day self-care challenge, I challenge each of you to do this for yourself , the results at the end of the month will be worth it!

-Ms. Brittani
Lead Preschool Teacher
Health & Wellness Coordinator