Taking Care of Yourself
This is solely directed to the parent(s). What I am talking about here is an understanding of what it means to take care of you, FIRST. This article will help you realize how important your physical and emotional health is, and presents the keys to being able to take GOOD care of your children.
Taking care of you is nothing to joke about. It actually means that you need to do whatever you need to do to be completely healthy, FIRST. I know this notion seems unrealistic when you have two children (or more) in diapers and you do it all, day in and day out. I am one of those mothers' too. I know the idea of giving more seems incredibly overwhelming. Mothers, especially single mothers give when there is nothing left to give. What I am suggesting though is that you give to yourself first. The children can and will wait and as a bonus you are setting an excellent example of model behavior for your children while you are doing it.
As we all know, children learn what they see, not what you say. So, knowing that, aren't you glad to be teaching them how to take care of themselves by setting excellent examples of independence and self- reliance? If they see that you are putting yourself first with healthy habits then they will learn to do the same.
The children's immediate and necessary needs will be met and the ones that don't get met right away because you are stretching, doing yoga, running a mile on the tread mill or meditating, will survive. I am not suggesting you let a baby, screaming in hunger, starve while you run; what I mean is, that you schedule in time for yourself just like you would schedule in the laundry or the errands for the day.
When you decide to take care of yourself first, it is actually the most selfless act of love you can do for your children. You are giving them the gift of YOU. By taking care of your physical health and emotional health you are giving more to your children. You have more to offer when your own needs are being met. There is a clear distinction between taking care of yourself so that you may give to others, and just taking care of yourself; the difference is, that when you are taking care of yourself first in very healthy ways (working out, eating right, going back to school) the prevailing mindset will be for the greater good and well being of your family. Shopping until you have no money or taking excessive time for yourself, leaving your responsibilities behind is far from nurturing the well being of your family. This article is about better parenting through understanding and healthy, pro-active choices.
This brings me to another point about taking care of you. I have learned that no matter who is in your life, a husband, a partner, a boyfriend/girlfriend....you are the only one responsible for taking care of you. It may seem that this suggestion is cold and dooming but the reality is that once you learn how to meet your own needs, you will be in a much better position to not only meet the needs of others but also to accept the love and attention from others. When you know how to give to yourself, it enables you to be better at receiving what others have to offer. It is that simple. So how do you do that?
Start by doing a complete self-evaluation. That means that you need to know exactly where you are right now in order to have direction on where you want to be: Educating yourself is a good start to excellent parenting skills.
http://child-behavior-help.info
Parenting has always been a tough nut to crack but it seems that now, more than ever, we have to be extra careful how we raise our kids. I have a 4 year old boy and do my best to spend as much time with him as I can. Most of the moms I know rely on TV and gadgets to raise their kids which might save some time but it doesn’t give them the childhood they deserve.
ReplyDeleteBeing there, listening to him, playing together and building up your own universe, these are the things that great parenting is made off. I know it because I had the best parents in the world, which despite working 10 to 12 hours each day did their best to come home happy and play with me.
ReplyDelete