While it is definitely highly rewarding in the long run, parenting is definitely pretty exhausting, to say the least. More often than not, you’ll find parents complaining about being sleep deprived and tired, but that doesn’t just end there- sometimes, things can get overwhelming and parents even lose their motivation, positivity and joy in life, and that is something parenting should definitely not be.
If you too are a massively tired parent, desperately struggling to find a balance, self-care is your best bet. Keep reading to discover why investing your time in self-care is one of the most crucial aspects of parenting.
Why parenting self-care is important
Makes you a Better Parent
You might be confused about how in the world will you find the time for self-care in the middle of your already chaotic daily schedule, but this one’s going to make you want to do it, no matter what. Spending some time for yourself, doing activities that help you feel relaxed and energetic and happy aka self-care, can actually make you a better parent.
How? Just think about it. How would you feel if you’re surviving on minimal sleep, trying to do laundry, make meals and attend to toddlers who throw tantrums every hour of the day. That’s right. Pretty crappy. Also more likely to lash out and have a fight at anyone. But how would you feel if you got the time to soak in the bath for a good 15 minutes before you step out, and read a few pages of that book on your bedside before you tackled the day’s events? That’s right- much better.
Keeps You Sane
This one’s a no-brainer. Parenting can take a lot out of you- both physically and mentally, and if you find yourself on the verge of a mental breakdown more often than you’d like, self-care is exactly what you need, to keep yourself sane. Trust us on this, things will feel less overwhelming and intimidating, and the challenges that come with parenting will feel less intense if you’ve had your own time to relax and unwind.
Since parenting is a full-time job, you might lose touch with your own self, forget about your needs and wants, and it can all have a big blow on your self-esteem and optimism; but if you sneak in a bit of self-care, it can dramatically change things, and you can still be a fully functioning parenting without losing touch with yourself as a person.
Reduces your Risk of Burnout
Overworking yourself can seriously increase your risk of burnouts, and if there’s anything that’s synonymous with overworking, it has to be parenting for sure. You might be stuck in the constant battle between being there for your kids and trying to run errands and make sure everyone’s well fed. In the midst of all of that, you tend to forget taking care of yourself, which in turn, leads to burnout pretty quickly.
Taking small breaks to recharge and rejuvenate, on the other hand, can actually keep you from suffering from these downtimes.
Photo Credit: Allie Smith Plush Design Studio Logan Nolin
11 Comments
I couldn’t agree more! Sometimes I just need that little bit of time to myself to reclaim your sanity.
I’m not a parent but I can only begin to imagine how important self care is when you are in charge of little ones all day!
Very true! Don’t think I can ever give from an empty cup! x
Self care is super important, I’m guilty of not having practiced it on more than one occasion. Like they say on an airplane about air masks, you can’t properly take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.
I couldn’t agree more with this post, you can’t care for your kids if you aren’t caring for yourself first. I must admit I need to focus more on self care as it can be difficult to remember to self care when family life is so hectic but it is vital to do so. I find I am happier and parent ‘better’ when I have taken time to self care.
Totally agree! This is a good reminder for me.
I agree, it truly keeps you sane, makes you a better parent and a better person too.
It’s so true. It’s so easy to lose your identity as a parent and it’s important to look after ourselves.
These tips are all on point. You got me at parenting is a full time job and that we need to take care of ourselves sometimes to keep us sane.
I lost myself for a little while when I became a mum but luckily was able to find myself again. Self care is so important
Some really good advice and I couldn’t agree more. Self care is so important for everyone involved.