If there is one thing that parents can all agree on, is that raising children is one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs that a person can do.
It is of-course easy to forget, or simply run out of time, in between nappy changes, school drop-offs and loads of laundry. Although as a parent, if you are able to look after yourself physically, mentally and emotionally you’ll be able to recharge and have more resources to be able to give your children what they need to grow and for your family to thrive.
Parental self-care means something different for everyone, but parental self-care can be best understood as anything parents intentionally do to look after their health and wellbeing.
What are some examples of self-care:
· Eating a nice meal
· Staying active
· Catching up with friends
· Watching a movie
· Shopping
Another very important part of parental self-care is being compassionate towards yourself, and for parents with partners, being compassionate toward your partner as well. Research has found that those who take time to be compassionate towards themselves are also more likely to be understanding that making mistakes, particularly in parenting, is part of being human and are less likely to be as critical of themselves. In turn, a great benefit of this is found in child development with parental self-compassion and parental self-care positively influence children.
If you are interested in discussing any of the points further or would like to hear about a particular topic, we would be more than happy to hear from you. Feel free to send an email to admin@childpsych.net.au and we will answer any questions you may have.
