How many times have you found yourself scrambling and stressed out as a parent? Odds are, its likely more often than you might like, and around the holidays, it may be even more so. As parents, we want the best for our children and will do anything we can for them to make their lives better. Our world revolves around them, and it’s easy to lose sight of who you were or who you are when you’re focusing solely on your kids. It’s important though, to create and maintain a self-care ritual for yourself too, so that you can be at your best for your kids. See where we’re going with this?
In order to care for your children the way they deserve to be cared for, you have to pay attention to yourself too.
Think of it like this: you put your phone on the charger each night because it’s useless if it’s dead, right? You put gas in your vehicle when the tank is low because you need it to reliably take you where you need to go, right? Taking care of yourself, and carving out time for yourself works much the same way.
Below are some tips for helping you learn how you can create a self-care ritual that works for you!
When your child gets sick or hurt, it can be challenging to figure out whether they need an urgent care or the emergency room for a visit. During situations like these, both parents and children can get very stressed out and not think clearly about what is happening which is only natural.
As you begin to consider whether your child’s illness or injury is an emergency or not, always make your first call to your child’s pediatrician for guidance unless it’s a true 911-emergency where life safety is threatened. Pediatricians can offer a wealth of information and can help with any general questions you may have as they know your child best.
As a parent, one of the most important jobs you have is knowing how to discipline your child and teach them what behavior is and is not appropriate. This is one of the toughest parts about being a parent, and as much as you don’t want to get upset with your child, there are going to be times where you will be. There are many different approaches to disciplining your child in a healthy way that includes positive re-enforcement, emotional control, and keeping your children safe when they misbehave.
Today we’re going to talk about how to discipline your child in a healthy way that promotes understanding, modeling appropriate behaviors, as well as setting limits and consequences and being consistent in your approach.
Separation anxiety in children is a common occurrence, as most children don’t like to be away from their parents for too long at a time. It tends to get better as children get older, when they begin to understand that you’re coming back and you can explain to them where you are going or what you need to do. Separation anxiety varies wildly from child to child, and is based on home life, personality traits, lifestyle factors, age, and more.
Separation anxiety tends to affect children from infancy to their pre-school years. Changes in routine, meeting new people, and going to a new school or making the adjustment from daycare to pre-school can all trigger some form of separation anxiety in children.
Separation anxiety can go both ways from child to parent, as parents, especially new parents or breastfeeding parents, often feel concerned or worried about leaving their children in someone else’s care or needing to attend to something their kids simply can’t join them for. It’s completely normal, and typically short lived, but there are ways that you can help build resilience and confidence in your child and prepare them for some time away as it is needed.
There’s a lot about Halloween that makes it one of the most fun holidays. Between dressing up however you like, and grabbing treats around town, there’s not a whole lot we have to complain about it!
For Halloween to be a fun and safe experience though, it’s important to keep in mind some safety rules so that everyone can enjoy this magical holiday the way it was intended!