By Sami Shields of ContemporaryVA
It’s hard to balance a successful work and home life–and it’s even harder to focus on your own mental health. Over time, the anxiety can start to build up until ultimately it starts to affect your attitude and abilities. Managing and reducing stress should be a priority with every parent. Here’s how to make time for yourself and keep your stress in check.
The most important thing to realize is that your own mental health matters. Reducing your stress will make you a better parent. Your child and your career will benefit from you being as happy and emotionally healthy as possible. Take parenting breaks, get a babysitter and have some fun. Understand that you’re not ignoring your family obligations – you’re enhancing how successful you are when you’re with your children.
A parent who is full of stress in his attitude towards the child will observe that the child takes out that stress on other people through being aggressive with them, in turn.” Remember, their little eyes are always watching.
Forgive yourself for the unfolded baskets of laundry and the leftovers for dinner. Design flexible schedules for yourself and don’t let your to-do lists push you around. Parenting offers wonderful opportunities to rediscover and enjoy the child within you. Playing and laughing with your children not only deepens your relationship with them, it lightens your load and reduces your stress.
Also, part of reducing stress is to relieve it by talking it out. Touch base with other parents, join a parent’s support group, or set time aside to talk to your partner about your frustrations. Chances are pretty good that you are not the only parent feeling frustrated about childhood challenges.
In the end, stress-less parenting may come down to knowing how to choose your battles. But, with a little patience and these tips, you can figure out your own effective parenting style for stress-less parenting.
Are you currently struggling with stress from parenting? Let us know in the comments below or send a message here.
