SELF CARE FOR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS
When you take time to care for yourself, you are better able to care for your child. Even a few minutes of “you time” can help you to recharge so that you can parent at your best. Stress causes wear and tear on a person, inside and out. Keep these tips in mind next time you’re feeling overwhelmed.
When you take time to care for yourself, you are better able to care for your child. Even a few minutes of “you time” can help you to recharge so that you can parent at your best. Stress causes wear and tear on a person, inside and out. Keep these tips in mind next time you’re feeling overwhelmed.
- Stay Social. Spending more time at home than usual can take a toll. Reach out to loved ones and friends with a phone call or video chat. You don't need to go it alone.
- Sleep. When your little one lays down to rest, try to do the same. If he’s having trouble settling down, sing him a quiet song that you loved when you were small (one that calms you down, too).
- Use water to relax. As you’re bathing your child, soak your hands in the warm water and give yourself a little hand massage, taking long deep breaths as you do so.
- Keep a journal by your bed. Before you fall asleep, remember something funny, kind, or surprising that your child did today. Write a few lines that capture the memory. If you are feeling stressed or down, you can read through your memory journal.
- Fill your cup. Get a glass of water and find a comfy spot to sit. Let your child know, “I’m just going to sit and (read/think/breathe) while I drink this glass of water.” Explain that you’ll be available once the glass is empty. Children have difficulty keeping track of time, and this is a concrete way to help them understand you’re taking a few minutes to yourself.
- Turn on the tunes! Never underestimate the power of music to change the mood. Put together a playlist of songs that make you feel good. You might create different playlists for different moods (one to relax, one to energize, and so on).
- Get moving. Taking movement breaks throughout the day can help alleviate stress and keep you well. Even if you’re stuck inside, try a few small-space, body-weight exercises like squats, lunges, and arm-raises.
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Early Childhood Partners programs are funded by the Coordinated Family & Community Engagement (CFCE) grant awarded to Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. The HWRSD does not discriminate in its programs, activities or employment practices on the basis of race*, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, active military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition, homelessness, ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, or any other category protected by state or federal law.