Self-Care For Parents

The demands of family life are exhausting. Carpooling, school activities, and birthday parties are just some of the many things we support in our children's lives. As parents, it is easy to become so inundated taking care of our children that we forget to nurture ourselves. This month, let's make a commitment to nurture Mom and Dad. Our children are counting on us to set the right examples for them to follow. Let's teach them the value of self-care. By doing so, we illustrate to our children the importance of loving ourselves.

When we take time to care for ourselves, we feel empowered and are better able to accomplish more in our lives. Caring for ourselves permits us to love everyone around us better. As a result, we become more giving, grateful, and happy. By establishing quality adult time, we can connect and reflect on who we really are and what we really want. When was the last time you considered what was best for you? When was the last time you relaxed in your favorite chair and enjoyed a cup of coffee? How many minutes each day do you get to connect with your spouse? Making the commitment to improve the quality of each day is a decision. Take small steps to enhance your life.

Over the course of this year I am going to share with you some specific strategies on caring for Mom and Dad. As the mother of three children between one and eight years old, I know first-hand the challenges that parents face. My husband and I make time every month to consistently nurture ourselves and our relationship. I believe that the best parents are ones that place their self-care as a priority. The benefits to our children are immediate when we take better care of ourselves. By sowing self-care into our lives we reap the benefits of reduced personal stress, anxiety and frustration. This month, follow my five strategies for Renewing the Self:

Rest
Find time to be still every day. Take the time to stop the roller coaster of life and slow down. When we are rested, we make better decisions.

Read
Renew your mind. Fall in love with reading again. In my home, we Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R). Set clear expectations with your children that everyone is going to read individually for 15 minutes, thereby limiting interruptions. No excuses. Reading allows us to escape the pressures of the day and allows us to expand our minds.

Rejuvenate
Rejuvenate your spirit. Take some time each day to connect with your higher power. Pray, reflect and meditate to connect with your spirit and allow peace to work in your life.

Readjust
Readjust your priorities. Is your family too busy? This is a great question to ask. Is your family racing from Monday morning to Sunday evening? Limit your children's activities. Be realistic about each commitment.

Reward
Reward yourself. Go on a date with yourself, your spouse or a friend. Take some time away from the children and enjoy some grown-up time. When you return you will feel like a new person.

Making the decision to care for yourself is a choice. This month, choose to make self-care a priority. Remember that self-care is not negotiable, but necessary in order to be the best parent possible.

Live Fully,
Mia

Challenge! - Making the decision to care for yourself is a choice. This month, choose to make self-care a priority. Remember that self-care is not negotiable, but necessary in order to be the best parent possible. And to get you started creating your own list of goals, I would like to invite you to claim your free access to my E-book "Eliminating Mommy Burn-Out". Get free access at www.helpformomsreport.com

From Mia Redrick- Author, Time for mom-Me:5 Essential Strategies for A Mother's Self-Care and Finding Definitions, the premier self-care community for mothers www.findingdefinitions.com