Self-care for parents
Here is a fact for you: Self-care is free and does not need to take so much effort.
When my little one was born, one of the things I craved was alone time. Quiet time. A time when I am not touched by anyone. The whole day, I was either carrying my new born, breastfeeding or pumping milk or doing house chores. Doing this day after day makes you feel that your body isn't yours anymore.
When my husband comes in, I immediately pass on our child to him. I realized then that a few minutes of alone time worked wonders on my psyche. It made me miss my baby, it helped me feel energized, it made me want to be near my husband.
I used to think that self-care means going to the SPA, having some much needed massage, retreats, etc etc. All of these involves time and money, both of which are scarce resources when you are taking care of children (and adults!). I would love these things. But in our ordinary days, we don't need to spend a lot to practice self-care. Most of these are free!
Try these:
1. Catering to your needs first (ex. Eat and sit with your family instead of serving everyone countless rounds of meals)
2. Respecting your own boundaries (ex. putting down a child that pulls your hair)
3. Respecting your own body autonomy (ex. not giving a hug or a kiss when you dont want to)
4. You have preferences. Let others know it
5. Saying NO to things that you dont want to do or to things you dont need in your life.
There is a reason why when you fly on an airplane, you are instructed to "put your oxygen mask on first" before helping others. If you run out of oxygen, you cannot help anyone. If you run out of batteries for yourself, then you cannot care for your family.
Share below some tips on how you practice self-care
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