Parenting is one of the most challenging jobs on the planet. There are so many things parents have to do when trying to raise their children correctly that it’s hard to find time for themselves. They must balance how much time they should spend with their children and how much time they should dedicate to taking care of themselves. The struggle is real, I know!
We divided this blog into two parts. In this article, we will talk about things parents should do more often for themselves, and, in the next one, we will talk about things parents should do more often with their kids.
We hope you will find our blog post helpful and easy to read. Let’s jump right into it:
Relax your mind and body by spending quality time alone.
Parents are parents 24/24. They get no time for themselves, so it’s important to schedule some “you” time every now and then!
A manicure after a long day or even just an hour of yoga can be very relaxing and make you feel better. Taking the time out to do something you enjoy will help you take care of yourself too!
Here are some suggestions to help you relax your body and mind:
- Meditate for a few minutes every day.
- Get a massage.
- Take a bath instead of a shower to relax and unwind.
- Have a nap.
- Take supplements for your brain.
- Spend an hour with your favorite book.
- Go for a swim.
- Take a walk in nature.
- Go shopping
- Listen to music that makes you happy.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure it’s something you enjoy.
Take care of yourself physically.
Taking good care of yourself can make you a better parent in many ways:
You will feel more energized and less stressed out, which helps deal with your child’s moods much easier without losing your temper. You’ll have a clearer head and won snap at them as easily when you’re less tired.
Here is a list of actions that parents can take:
- Ensure you always have healthy snacks on hand so you can grab them quickly if you’re hungry. Like carrots, apples, and celery sticks!
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid sugary drinks or coffee.
- Get plenty of sleep; parents don’t realize how much they rely on it until they’ve not had enough and feel like zombies the next day.
- Plan your meals and stick to this list, so when hunger strikes, you don’t grab the first thing you see. Have healthy options ready when making dinner, such as meats & vegetables. Don’t buy any junk food or processed ingredients, as you are more likely to want them if they’re in the house.
- Make exercise part of your routine by setting up an hour where you go out running or walking every day. Even just half an hour of exercise a day will help you stay fit and healthy.
- Check your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol levels, etc., to ensure you’re healthy!
- Make doctor appointments every six months or so just to get checked up.
- Take good care of your skin by using skin products or taking baths/showers made specifically for dry, sensitive skin.
These tiny changes can have such a significant impact overall!
Schedule a weekly date night with your significant other.
Parents should schedule a weekly date night with their significant other and without kids if possible. It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy; just the simple fact of making time for your partner will help strengthen your relationship.
If this isn’t an option for you, you can still find some quality time together by doing something fun, like going for a walk or watching a movie together.
This is a no-brainer; you should be socializing and having fun with your friends or family members. It’s good for parents to have time to hang out without kids because it gives them a break from all the parenting stress.
It doesn’t matter if you grab coffee once a week or lunch with friends every day; what matters is that you prioritize this activity in your life!
If you don’t feel like going out by yourself, invite friends or other families over on weekends.
Keep up with hobbies or activities that make you happy.
You should continue doing things that make you happy and keep up with any hobbies or interests you enjoy. It’s easy to lose track of time when kids are always running around, and parents don’t realize how much they’ve stopped participating in activities because of their child until one day, it finally hits them!
If you don’t know what hobbies you’d like to continue, then just try something new since you never know if you’ll find an interest until you try it out for yourself. Some possible hobbies you can try are:
- Playing a musical instrument.
- Learning how to cook new recipes.
- Painting or drawing.
- Learning something new, like a language or coding.
- Hiking and camping.
- Going to the gym and taking up yoga or pilates classes.
- Practicing a sport.
- Joining any group in your local area that interests you!
- Reading books.
- Going for runs.
- Taking up photography.
Get organized and clean up clutter in your home to reduce stress and anxiety.
You should try to get organized and clean up any clutter that’s in your home. At first, it may seem to be a hassle, but you will feel so much better about the space you live in once it’s been decluttered.
When you have less stuff piled everywhere, you can actually find what you’re looking for instead of having to spend half an hour searching through piles of clothes on the floor!
For you to create more space, make sure you throw away (or sell it on eBay and make money back from it) any belongings you no longer use because you don’t have to worry about storing things that you’ll never need again.
Be kind to yourself.
Be tolerant of yourself and others – people can only give their best effort; no one is perfect all the time. You will make mistakes and should learn from them instead of beating yourself up about them or feeling guilty for making them in the first place!
When an issue is too much for you to handle alone, you need to recognize it. Try to reach out to friends, family members, or other parents in your local community if you need help dealing with a situation.
It is essential to take good mental health seriously; parents who don’t feel happy will have less patience and energy towards their kids when things get tough, which is why they must prioritize self-care to reduce stress and anxiety.
It’s okay if you need a break sometimes, whether this means leaving your kids at home with your spouse while you go grocery shopping by yourself or asking a family member to watch over your kids overnight when you need some alone time.
Learn to say no and set boundaries with others.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you shouldn’t feel guilty about putting your foot down and saying no. You need to take care of yourself, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for saying no.
If you keep saying yes to friends and family members when you really want to say no, then you will feel resentful towards them in the future because you don’t like feeling obligated or pushed into doing something.
You need to remember that it’s okay if someone gets upset with you for setting boundaries, but you should never let anyone guilt trip you into changing your mind about what you said!
As a parent, it’s crucial to set clear boundaries with your kids. Help them understand what you expect of them and, when they’re demanding or bratty, say no! Boundaries are helpful for kids because they let them know what is expected of them.
Being kind parents is great, but you should never let kids get away with dangerous or disrespectful things to others.
Setting limits and boundaries will help children feel safe because they know what’s expected of them when parents aren’t around! It also helps parents build trust in their children, knowing that the kid can handle themselves well if they need to step out for a bit.
Take a break from technology.
Parents can get distracted by social media and technology, which is why it’s essential to unplug from the digital world every once in a while.
You can feel overwhelmed if you are constantly checking social media, emails, or even video games.
Social media is great because it connects people worldwide; however, too much of anything isn’t healthy, including spending lots of time on these platforms. Be mindful about how much screen time you have every single day – set reminders if needed!
You don’t have to live your life entirely offline, but you should make sure that you put your phone away at least an hour before bedtime so you aren’t tempted to keep checking it throughout the night!
It’s also helpful for you if you schedule some time during the day when there are no devices around, like when kids go on a playdate or attend camp. You can spend this time doing something relaxing, like taking a bubble bath or curling up with a good book.
Take a break.
Even parents who live a busy life can find time to take a day trip or weekend getaway. You don’t have to spend lots of money to have fun. You just need to find the time to leave your daily routine behind for a bit!
Taking parents out of their comfort zone can be difficult because it’s hard to justify spending money on something if you don’t know how beneficial it will really be. However, stressed parents need to have some me-time every once in a while. Even day trips away from home can feel rejuvenating and give you space, so this tip is perfect for any busy person, even parents!
For a list of family vacation ideas, check The Complete Guide to Planning the Perfect Family Vacation and 10 Best National Parks in America to Visit with Children.
Conclusion.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading these lists of things parents should do more often. If you have any thoughts or feedback, we want to hear them! Leave your comments below and let us know what resonates with you the most from this list. Thanks for taking the time to read our blog post, and happy parenting
Don’t forget to check out 10 things parents should do more often with their kids.
Lenny Terra is the co-founder & reviewer. He’s a life coach, software engineer, freelance writer, and has a diploma in Modern Applied Psychology. Lenny has a passion for great living & beautiful design. He is married and is the father of two beautiful girls. His life’s mission is to help people improve their lives, become happier and more productive. This blog is his contribution to that goal and to the empowerment of his readers. Lenny and his family live in Texas with their two dogs.
