As parents, you are often putting the needs of others before your own. That is not likely to change, but we hope that you can also see your immense value and the importance of taking some time to care for yourself too!

What is "self care"?

"The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health" / "The practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress." (Lexico.com, 2020)
It helps us become the person, and parent, we want to be
Taking care of our needs
Caring for our social, emotional, physical, and mental health
More than drinking tea and bubble baths

What "self care" is NOT:

Selfish
Unnecessary
Self-indulgent
A waste of time
Impractical

"But I have ZERO time..."

True... BUT, you find time to help your child with a last minute project the night before it is due, can you find a few minutes to do something for you? Schedule it in. Make it a priority. Do it while sitting next to your kids on the couch, or before they wake up, or after they go to sleep.

Here are some tips for self-care with limited time:

We often focus on one type of self-care and forget about the rest.

What are you needing more of?

What area of your life and well-being needs some care?

Remember: Self care is more than "treating" ourselves (but that is included!). It is about healthy balance, which sometimes includes things like setting boundaries in relationships and saying "no" to certain activities, people, or habits.

One way we can take care of ourselves is by being aware of the blessings in our lives and the little awe-inspiring and beautiful moments (like the lovely ray of sunshine that warms your hands as you type out a website post) that take place throughout our days. There are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits to this!

An example of practicing gratitude is keeping a daily gratitude journal - jot down 1-3 people, things, moments, etc. you are thankful for and look back on what you have written during tough days to remember all the blessings in your life!