Parenting has now become a challenging task for most of the parents out there because they are already occupied with a lot of activities. Most parents become distressed and exhausted at some stage. The sole caregivers are just parents because most of them are nuclear families itself. We often question our ways of raising our child because of exposure to unlimited information available on parenting.
Positive parenting encompasses empathy, playfulness and loads of love and care for our children. This can only happen when we don’t feel exhausted or overwhelmed. Otherwise, we may spill our stress on our children, end up screaming or reprimanding them for no fault of theirs and this may affect the child negatively in more than one way. The child might grow up feeling scared, confused and frustrated too.
How Do You Keep Yourself Away from Becoming an Exhausted Parent?
Well, there is no rocket science behind, it’s simple! You just have to understand how best you can take care of yourselves, by staying in tune with our needs when exhaustion takes over. You have to listen to your body carefully, and look after your overall physical, emotional, social and psychological needs.
Keep yourself Physically fit
- Eating healthy food timely
- Exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, or just go for a long walk for 15-20 minutes
- Get sound sleep for a few hours to avoid the feeling of restlessness
- Taking care of your physical appearance by dressing appropriately, because it’s even a great mood lifter.
Take care of Emotional and psychological needs:
- Take out at least half an hour a day for yourself and consider it as your me-time, and during this time work on your hobby
- You can mentally feel exhausted if you are choosing to be always being there for your children. It is bad for you, and it is bad for them, too. Let them do things themselves.
- Have some exclusive days packed for your loved ones, take opportunities to regroup and slow down together. Spend some quiet times snuggling on the sofa.
- Try to work more as a team, involve your children in running the household.
- De-stress yourself by trying fun activities like dancing or singing
- Be expressive about your feelings, and don’t hide them all at any case. If you are feeling sad let your closer ones know that you aren’t feeling great today
- Define your own idea of parenting instead of striving to be a “perfect parent” who never tires .
Take care of your Social needs:
- Nurture all other relationships remember that apart from being a mother, you are someone’s daughter, sister, and wife!
- Meet your close friends often. Due to pandemic restriction have a zoom call.
- Bond with your parents and hear their stories, listen to their problems and ask how did they tackled it all
One of the most important things of self-care is to share your problems with your family members and ask them for support.
Just like the saying goes ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, take a deep breath and calm yourself a little. You will have a lot of moments of frustration, exhaustion, and you will feel burdened too, but be happy that you are going through and growing through because of all these issues!
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It’s not so easy, Jyoti. I have this friend on Twitter. Her son sleeps just for 4 hours in a day since he was a baby. His IQ is very high and is always hyper. Poor thing is always exhausted. I have seen obsessive moms too who do not leave their kids at all even if there are family members at home. I left my son when he was 6 months old and went to a wedding! Kids need to be left alone sometimes.
Being a parent is very important to take care for mental health along with physical health. Thanks for sharing these pointers and tips.
Loved reading your post. Epically when so much is happenning around.
Being a parent especially a mom is just not easy, getting exhausted at the end of the day is normal as we are whole day on our toes. I feel I haven’t slept a sound sleep in the last 13-14 years as at night also the mother in me is checking the blanket on my kids or giving them water or waking up to if they are ill. I agree keeping myself fit sure helps me sail this boat. I never neglect my health as I know I have to take care of the entire family. A deep breath and I’m back to work.
Thank you for this post. I feel I am on the tip of the iceberg of exhaustion.
Yes being exhausted is part of being a mom. No matter how much we try to relax mom in us doesn’t allow us. But it is very important to take a break and relax and do not try to be super moms.
Yes I agree parenting is exhausting sometimes and as a parent, we all feel that emotion time to time. taking out me time is most important to prevent burnt out and yes, exercise always help a lot in reducing mental stress and uplifting mood.
You have highlighted the key point that we need to take good care of ourselves to be able to give our best when it comes to motherhood and other responsibilities. Absolutely!! We need to understand, accept, and implement it in our lives.
Totally agree with this Jyoti, “Positive parenting encompasses empathy, playfulness and loads of love and care for our children.” Being exhausted is a gift that comes with parenting. I can’t deny as a mother sometimeI take zero minute in ignoring our own health.
Yesit can get very exhausting specially with nuclear families. Moms need to take out time for themselves as you rightly pointed out. Descriptive and informative
Deepika Sharma
Yes Jyoti. We need to leave the kids alone for sometimes, that’s when actually they grow up.
Lovely post, I can totally relate to it. Since the birth of my children, I’ve taken their complete responsibility. It could be better had I read such stuff before.
Love the tips so much honestly because it is so natural to get exhausted as a parent better yo take right steps at the right time
These are great tips jyoti. With the pandemic and online schooling everything becomes too much to handle
Being a parent has been additionally challenging in the last one year. Social life has gone for a toss while work at home has increased. I’ve run marathons, blogger and read a lot and called so many long lost friends to destress.