Self Care for Parents
March 23, 2019•Adoption blog
As I lay in my bed for the second day in a row feeling so poorly with a sickness bug and raging tonsillitis I am thankful for nursery, my husband and friends. This is the first time in three years since being a parent I’ve spent 2 days in bed and 5 days doing nothing. It has definitely been the wake-up call that I needed. I have to start looking after myself more. Being a new parent, working part-time and running my own business, not to mention having renovated our house these last few years has pushed my body to its maximum. I am a hard worker and feel guilty for sitting down and watching a film during the day, not being productive, and feeling like I should be doing 101 things because it’s my ‘job’ (I’m talking about the housekeeping and everything that goes with running a home and family). So have started thinking about what self-care means and how we as busy parents make sure that we are taking time for ourselves and showing our children how important it is to look after yourself. So here is a list of 33 ideas, some take 10 minutes, which are easy to do, and some take longer but are still so important. But all of them will make you feel amazing. I’m not saying you have to do all of these, but I do think you need to be spending at least 10 minutes a day looking after yourself. Now when you say 10 minutes from a whole day, that’s 10 minutes from a whole 24 hours. And don’t say you’re asleep half of that because how many parents out there sleep a solid 12 hours, 10 hours!! So 10 minutes really isn’t that much at all!! But it can make all the difference. But I’ve got kids and they don’t let me go to the loo on my how. How am I going to get 10 minutes on my own? Yep I have one too, one who insists on following me into the shower, the loo, etc. But, something I learned on a parenting course has helped him learn that he has his time and I have my time. He’s learning, it’s not been plain sailing but it’s getting better. So ‘attending’ is what could be the key to some self care time. The idea is you play with your child for 10 minutes. You let them lead the play, you don’t make it a time to learn, you just seem interested and make time, quality, screen free time to play. Put a timer on and give a 1 minute warning before the 10 minuets is up. We have started doing this for other reasons and it’s worked wonders, so cub knows the drill. I’m going to start doing this with the intention that he has 10 minutes and then I get 10 minutes Mummy time. So what I plan to do with my 10 minutes. Here is the list!!
Read a book
Drink a hot drink
Put makeup on / skin care routine
Brain dump
Sort through a cupboard / draw a week just for 10 mins
Paint your nails
Take the nail polish off!
Meditation time
Fitness routine
Eat cake
Save a treat jar for just you.
Listen to your favourite music
Dance
Plan a trip
Plan a new outfit
These are other self care ideas which I suggest at least one of these happens a week but will need to take longer than 10 minutes.
Relax in a bubble bath
Shave your legs
Wash your hair
Go for a walk
Meet a friend
1 day/afternoon a month just for you. One for your partner too and one for you together
If you can afford help get it.
Team Tomm ( search for The_organised_mum on Instagram or Facebook) this is a whole other blog post.
Bake something yummy
Bed early 2 nights a week
No electronics 1 evening a week minimum
1 evening a Month no electronics play a game or read a book, candles, blankets etc
Hygge (google if you’re not sure, but I will do another blog post one day about Hygge with kids)
Movie night
Have your hair done
Book a massage/spa treatment
Shopping trip for you, not the kids.
Buy flowers
Anyway these are just a few ideas to start you off taking care of yourself. I would love to hear if you try some and how you get on. Zoe x