You need to be taking care of yourself, even when you are a parent. We understand that you have little people that you have to take care of. You had them and it’s your job to look after them, but that does not mean that you do not also have to look after yourself. You are a grown person and you need to take care of yourself, not just the people that you gave birth to.
Sometimes it’s okay if your needs go to the back of the queue or you put them on pause for a little while as you sort other people out. However, at some point, you have to say enough is enough and put yourself first. You deserve at least the basic level of care, if not what you used to give yourself before you had kids. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you can do in order to make this happen, with nothing on this list taking up too much time or money. Keep reading if you are interested in what we have to say.
This is a collaborative post.
Basic Hygiene Is Not A Reward
The very first thing that we want to say, and we want you to hear us when we say this – we are looking at you new parents – basic hygiene is not a reward. It’s a basic human need, and one that you need to meet for yourself and for your kids. We do understand that it can be tough to take a shower when you have a baby crying, a toddler following you everywhere, or whatever else the circumstances are. But, there are too many parents out there at the moment who think that getting to take a shower is a reward, or if they get to take a shower on their own, a break.
It’s not fair that this is what it has come to. Everyone’s situation is different, but there is no situation in which it’s okay to see a shower as a break from your kids. It’s not, it’s just something that you need to do in order to take care of yourself.
Get Out Of The House
When was the last time that you left the house? If you are not someone who leaves your house to work and you have kids, sometimes you may find yourself staying in for days on end. There are multiple reasons that this could be happening, one of which could be that getting your kids ready to go can feel like a war in itself. Many have been there before you and many will be there after, so you are not alone. It may also be because you simply do not have any energy to go out when you’re so busy at home.
But, we can assure you that even if it’s a task and a half to get there, you will feel much better when you are out. There’s just something about being outside in fresh air that makes things a little bit better. You can take your kids with you if needed, or you can ask someone to watch them for half an hour while you go for a walk on your own. As long as you are getting that little bit of time outside, that’s what matters. Do what’s best for you if you can, and do not feel bad about it.
Find Yourself A Hobby
If you do not have a hobby, the most important question that we have got for you is why? Why do you not have a hobby that brings some kind of joy to your life? There are always ways to make time for this, you just have to get creative sometimes and that’s okay. So, don’t keep telling yourself that it’s okay for you not to have a hobby, something of your own to do because you don’t need one. You do.
You can try out a range of hobbies that you can do at home if you are someone who wants to stay home and be present with your kids as much as you can. You can look into things like reading, yoga, gaming and so much more that we actually do not have space to list them all. It’s definitely worth doing some research into this though just so that you can get a good understanding of what your options are. When it comes to gaming for example you already have so many variations of games and choices, that narrowing it down is going to be a good idea. Maybe you can start with something like sudoku, spider solitaire and games like this, and then perhaps try out video games, seeing which ones you prefer.
Treat Yourself Sometimes
There are going to be times when you want to treat yourself, and why should you not? If you have a little bit of spare money and you want to get yourself a treat there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Anyone who says otherwise should be ignored because they know nothing about your life or your situation.
There seems to be some toxic idea at the moment that we have to spend every spare penny that we have on our children and it’s absurd. Yes, you should make sure that your children have everything that they need before you buy any kind of treats. But, if you have done this and you want to treat yourself to something, you should feel entitled to do so without an ounce of guilt. You are still a person too, you know? If you want to go for a spa day, do it. If you want to buy yourself some new clothes, do it. You deserve to take care of yourself in this way.
Ask For Help When You Need It
One of the things that we want you to recognise is when you need a break. You cannot just let yourself burn out because you are giving everything that you have got to your kids and there is nothing left for you. We know that you want to be able to give them all of you all of the time, but you can’t. You have to learn to ask for help when you are struggling, even if it feels like the hardest thing in the world to do.
You do not have to take on every single thing by yourself, it takes a village to raise children. The people in your life will want to help you just to make your life easier, we can assure you of that. Give yourself a break, and ask someone that you trust to watch the kids for a bit so that you can have a rest. There is nothing wrong with knowing your limits, and in fact this is what is going to make you a good parent. You will be able to give your best to your kids because you have looked after yourself in this way, and that is what matters.
At the end of the day, just because you are a parent, does not mean that you should not be taking care of yourself. You deserve to look after yourself properly, the way that you do with other people in your life and not constantly put yourself last or leave yourself out entirely. So, if you are guilty of doing this, take the advice that we have given in this article and apply it to your life. What can you lose by taking care of yourself better? Absolutely nothing.