Pay yourself first

 

Before you can teach your child, you need to be in the best position to do so.

And in order to do that, it is important for you to feel the best you can.

As your child grows older, you will need to take care of yourself in order to be a good parent. Being a caring and engaged parent is not easy and is very time-consuming. In fact, as the demands on you increase, so do the demands on the rest of your life. If things are getting overwhelming for you at home and at work, it's time to take some steps to reduce your stress level.

 The first step :

 Being honest with yourself and recognizing that you have reached your limit. It takes a lot of courage to recognize when we've reached our limit – especially if we're perfectionists who don't like admitting defeat. But there are signs that you're in over your head. If you notice these signs, then it's time to make a change:

You feel like the only way you can get much-needed rest is by either canceling plans with friends and loved ones or refusing invitations altogether.

You find yourself constantly crying for no apparent reason other than that you're tired or overwhelmed.

You have a hard time remembering details about your day, such as what you ate that morning for breakfast or what the doctor said to you during your last appointment.

You find yourself snapping at others more than usual – even over little things. This is your body and mind's way of telling you that something isn't right.

You have trouble falling asleep at night because your mind is going a mile a minute. Or maybe you lie awake worrying about what needs to get done the following day.

During the day, you have trouble paying attention to conversations or staying focused on the work tasks at hand. This can affect your job performance as well as how well you parent your child – and it's never good when you're not giving your full attention to either of these tasks.

You have unexplained health issues that could stem from stress, such as headaches, stomach pain, or even more serious problems like high blood pressure or heart disease.

The demands put on moms are immense. In fact, taking care of young children while balancing a full-time job and caring for the home often feels like a full-time job all by itself. If you're not taking good care of yourself, then your health is at risk – along with your ability to parent effectively.

Second step:

Stop being hard on yourself for needing some help. There is a difference between being hard on yourself for not being able to do things and encouraging yourself to get help when you need it. If the act of asking for help causes anxiety and more stress in your life, then you should work on making that step easier.

Many people who struggle with procrastination have learned to be too hard on themselves so they won't ask for help or make excuses about not being able to do everything. If that's true for you, think about what is causing you to feel ashamed for needing some help from time to time.

Usually, these feelings stem from a negative past experience that you feel embarrassed about.

Think about the last time you asked for help. Did your request make you feel guilty or upset? What was it that caused those emotions? Was there something specific you thought might happen when asking for help that made you upset? Did anyone else have anything to do with your feelings? Be as specific as possible.

Now that you know what your negative past experience was, write a positive future script for asking for help. Tell yourself what will be different next time and why it will be easier to ask for help. Then tell yourself that you are doing the right thing by looking after yourself and taking care of your wellbeing.

Say out loud your positive future script. Think about what your reason is for asking for help and tell yourself that when people see that you are doing something to take care of yourself, they will respond positively.

Keep repeating this script until it becomes easier for you to ask for help. Remember, there is nothing wrong with asking for help. In fact, if you aren't willing to ask for help when you need it, you may not be able to take care of yourself and your child the way you want to in the long run.

In conclusion

In the end, caring for yourself is one of the most important things that you can do to be in the best position to care for your child. In order to feel your best, it's critically important for you to get enough sleep. It's also crucial that you stay mentally and physically active as well as find time to relax and unwind during the day. With these habits, you will not only be more rested but also have more energy when it comes time for you to interact with your child. You will find that these habits not only help you to feel your best but also benefit your child as well. Your child will be more energetic and excited to interact with you when he or she sees how happy and vibrant you are.