If
you can answer, TRUE, to any of these statements the trap
of skimping on your self-care may have you ensnared. You don't
need me to tell you that everything about you and your life
is different now that you're a Mom. Your heart is pouring
so much of yourself into your children, that in other parts
of your life you are running on empty.
As
a Parent Coach who works full time with Moms of young children
I know the risk of skipping or at least skimping on your self-care
is always there. With that in mind, here are 6 simple things
you can do to renew your energy and you can remember them
by thinking about SPRING:
S
= Some Solitude. Are you a Velcro Mom with some kid always
attached to you? Peel them off (yes they will make that awful
tearing noise that Velcro makes) but do it anyway. Moms tell
me even grocery shopping alone can feel like a slice of paradise
with a Starbucks in one hand and… well nothing in the other.
P
= Pursue Playfulness. With or without the kids around
find ways to laugh and just have fun. You used to be goofy;
kids love it when parents take a pratfall. Once they start
laughing it is contagious. Drop your "to do" list and use
those free hands to tickle a kid!
R
= Restart an Energy Gainer. Health and wellness activities
can be thought of as those things we do that serve as "energy
gainers" in our lives. As a parent of young children there
is little you can do about some of the inevitable "energy
drainers" you will face each day. That makes maintaining some
energy gainers even more vital to your health. Make a list
of the energy gainers you used to do for yourself before you
had kids. Pick one from the list and get creative about how
you can introduce it back into your life. Come on now, Moms
of young kids are the most resourceful and creative beings
on the planet, so you can do this!
I
= Intimacy. Start small. Intentionally kiss your partner
goodbye when one of you leaves and hello when you return.
Intentionally hug each other for at least 10 full seconds
(if this feels awkward do a minimum of three times a day).
Share one good thing that happened in each of your days.
Once
you have an intimacy rhythm at home, make a date night. Find
a way. I know it seems impossible. NIKE this one, Just Do
It. Guys, take the lead in planning and initiating this. Nothing
big. Even 90 minutes of browsing at Barnes and Nobles to start
(Parent and Child sections are off limits).
N
= Naps and Sleep. A Mom loses about 350 hours of sleep
at night over her baby's first year. Napping is a great way
to reduce your sleep debt. The National Sleep Foundations
reported research that found a 45-minute nap improved alertness
for six hours after the nap. Even 20 minutes can make a big
difference for many people. How many times did you pass up
that 20 minute nap window because you felt you had to get
something else done while the kids napped?
G
= Guiltless Girl Time. A Parents magazine survey in 2007
reported that only 10% of Mothers with young children had
gone out socially for fun in the previous three months. If
you can't maintain and cultivate your adult relationships
it will sure be more difficult to have that one friend who
really "gets you" that you can be real with and not worry
about how you are viewed. Now Dads, guiltless means you don't
call her 5 times during the two hours she is out with friends
because you can't handle the kids. It also means no snide
remarks when she gets home. You will find that supporting
your wife this way can lead to Guiltless Guy Time!
