On any given day, especially during a global pandemic, self-care is probably the last thing on a parent’s mind. Balancing the responsibilities of family, household and career can make self-care feel out of reach altogether. However, now more than ever, making your own well-being a priority is the best gift you can give your family. Creating time to care for yourself puts you in a better position to offer comfort and encouragement to your child when they need it most.
Paying attention to your needs as an individual can help you best care for your child and caring for yourself can take on many different forms. Self-care may look like taking a few minutes to go on a walk, finding time to listen to some of your favorite music or simply taking a few moments to yourself to breathe. You can even consider incorporating some of these things into your schedule with your child, allowing you to practice self-care without needing to find separate time away from your kids.
As time and resources for self-care might be limited, or non-existent, we encourage you to practice caring for yourself in some accessible and time efficient way.
Keep Routines
When possible, keeping routines for you and your child can be looked at as a form of self-care. Keeping some structure and normalcy can help prevent some of the stress that comes with the unknown of COVID-19. By keeping a routine, you may even be able to find an extra few minutes in the day for yourself to talk a walk or sit outside! But make sure to be kind to yourself if your routine doesn’t always go as planned.
Check-In With Yourself Daily
Practicing being compassionate with yourself is a great form of self-care, and one that can be done ongoing throughout the day. Being kind and patient with yourself, especially as we deal with the uncertainty of COVID-19, can help slow things down and can help you best care for those around you.
Reach Out
Do you have friends who are parents, or a family member you can talk to? If you are feeling overwhelmed, try to take a few minutes to call, text or video chat someone you trust. Reaching out for support is an act of caring for you and your family.
Remember, supporting your emotional well-being is important to be able to support your child’s emotional well-being. You are deserving of the same love, patience and understanding that you provide your family with.
Visit our COVID-19 page for more information on self-care and other helpful resources for you and your family.
