Meeting Our Own Needs So That We Can Meet Our Child's Needs

So many parents and care givers spend all of their time meeting the needs of their child and others that their own needs are completely forgotten about.

The notion of feeling guilty when we take time out for ourselves is so common, and this really needs to change.

We simply can't meet the needs of our children effectively long term, without it leading to burnout if we don't take care of our own needs too.

When we're heading down the spiral of parental burnout we are exhausted, we have minimal tolerance and we feel more stressed and anxious. Emotions are contagious, so when we're feeling stressed and anxious our kids can feel this too.

It is so important that we start to prioritise our own needs and recognise that they matter.

In doing this we can handle situations with more patience, including responding to our children, and we can model self-care. So, allow yourself a solo walk, give yourself extra time in the shower (or even soak in the bath), book a meal out without the kids and bring back time for one of your hobbies.

Meeting your needs matters more than you think!