Parent Self Care

You take the kids to the park, but they spend the day fighting with each other.

You surprise them with a new toy but they tell you that they wanted something else.

You spend extra money and time making a healthy dinner but it goes untouched on their plate.

Have you ever had those days that no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to win?

We sure have!

When raising kids, it’s normal to have these experiences. It’s part of the deal when becoming a parent.

But just because these moments many be common, it doesn’t mean that they are easy. And if we don’t take care of ourselves when we feel stressed, we may find ourselves with mental and physical health issues later on.

Ignoring our stress may lead to issues and diseases such as, but not limited to:

– anxiety

– depression

– alcohol or drug abuse

– sleep disorders

– high blood pressure

– digestive track issues

– auto-immune disease

– heart disease

and potentially other serious illnesses such as diabetes and cancer.

While stress is not something that can be eliminated from our lives (as much as we may wish it could be!), there are options to help you cope with the stress of being a parent.

Here are 5 tips we have for parent self-care:

 1. Talk it Out.
When it comes to de-stressing, one of the most important things we can start with is acknowledgement of our current life state.  Many of us parents like to tell ourselves we can handle it all when, in reality, we are burning ourselves out doing just that.

Holistic counseling can be a crucial first-step in realizing the amount of stress we are under and the need for self-care tools to help us be the best parents we can be.

There is nothing weak or wrong about talking through our frustrations or anxieties. It is a healthy way to address our challenges.

Is it time you let go of your unhealthy feelings in a safe and comfortable environment?

If so, click here to schedule an appointment with one of our holistic counselors.

2.  Get Balanced.
Stress can affect our bodies in many ways and one of the most prominent ones is the stagnation of our energy (or qi, pronounced “chi”).

When our energy gets stuck in certain areas we can become agitated, short-tempered, and even find ourselves dealing with odd symptoms and diseases.

Acupuncture can significantly impact the balance of your energy and provide you with calm and the feeling of being more grounded.  Who doesn’t want to feel that as a parent?!

To schedule an acupuncture appointment with Dr. Graves, click here.

3.  Give Your Body and Mind Some Extra Support.
Can’t make it to acupuncture everyday? Counselors not available at the exact moment you need to talk?

Don’t worry – there are other options, one of them being supplements!

Did you know there are natural supplements that you can take on a daily basis to help keep your mood and energy stabilized as well as ones that can bring on calm within minutes of taking them at highly stressful times?

If you’ve ever tried to grocery shop with a few little ones you may know exactly the moment a calming supplement could help! Imagine how much more peaceful that experience could be if you had this natural support on hand?

At CNMA, we have a variety of supplements that can be helpful for more composed parenting. Call us at (303) 688-6698 to find out about what may be the most beneficial for you or stop by our office!

4.  Consider Your Lifestyle.
Do you find your days filled with responsibilities for your kids?  If so, how much of your day do you allot time for taking care of yourself as well?

If you’re like many parents (and many in our office as well!), it can be difficult to find time to work-out, eat healthy, and get enough good sleep. However, we have learned that we can’t make parenting an excuse for not taking care of our own health.

Consider this…are you are a better parent when you feel good?  What helps you feel good and what do you need to make that happen?

We can choose to run ourselves into the ground doing for everyone else, or we can choose to teach our children that we need time to take care of ourselves as well so that we can all strive for optimal health.

If your schedule seems too busy, start small and try:

– 15-20 minutes of movement a day (walking, stretching, yoga, hiking, etc.)

– a daily smoothie with at least 2-3 servings of fruits or vegetables, and plenty of greens

– 5-10 minutes of meditation before going to bed

– keeping a water bottle with you throughout the day for hydration

– once a week journal writing on how you are feeling and what you are grateful for

There’s no need to delay – you can start today!

5.  Practice Self-Love.
Do you ever feel guilty as a parent?  That you should have said something different?  Reacted more calmly?  Supported your child in another way?

We are not perfect.  No parent is.

So it’s important that you have self-love in spite of this imperfection.  So how can you do this? Practice forgiveness of your flaws and take small steps for positive change.

It’s okay if you are not superwoman or superman. It’s okay if you are not a Pinterest perfect parent.  It’s okay if you can’t keep up with the Joneses.

Just be you…and love yourself.

Do you find yourself challenged as a parent?  We all find ourselves stressed at times, but if you feel that you would benefit from additional support, we understand!  We provide many clients the relaxation and coping skills needed for them to parent to their best ability.

Is it time for you to find the same?

If you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the Greater Denver Metro area and are in search of stress-relief from parenting, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to discuss further.

If it really does take a village to raise a child, let us join your community and help you strive to be the best parent you can be.