An unexpected part of being a parent is our need to sometimes dig deep, to keep on going when we are overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed, juggling roles or ill. As parents we often just have to keep on going, so some of the balls stay in the air because that’s the job.
From the exhaustion of parents who are out of answers with an unsettled baby, to the parents who are juggling work, home and family with no back-up or wiggle room for illness and the parents of teenagers who are dealing with challenging behaviour and a head full of worries.
There are many joys to parenting and when it’s going well, it’s magical and it makes our heart full but being a parent can sometimes be lonely and exhausting and when we’re worried, sad, stressed, under pressure or just plain knackered, it’s tough.
We want to get it right, we want to spend time with our children and we want them to be safe and healthy. Getting the balance right can sometimes feel unachievable.
So, what can you do about it?
I speak to many parents who reach a point where they need to make changes to ease the stress, to have more support and achieve more family balance, especially as children get older and need more of our time.
It’s easy to assume that our children want less of our time as they get older and become teenagers but they can need us just as much and we need to be present and available for when they do need us for stability and support.
There’s probably not a quick fix but you can manage the challenges with honest and open conversations, making the time to think it all through, focusing on what could help and what is do-able for you and your family.
What do I do for me?
For the practical day-to-day stuff, I try to keep it simple with walking, talking and writing for headspace, easing stress and making sense of what is going on.
I always feel better.To look after me, I go to the movies. On my own, with a Maccy’s with my phone off.
And then every now and then, there’s a good snot cry with wine.
There isn’t a lot of support for parents beyond the postnatal period and there can be times when we feel completely out of our depth. It can also help to talk to someone who isn’t closely connected, to be a sounding board and to help you get issues out of your head. My parent sessions are for you, the person behind the parent, to work through different family and personal challenges while balancing the needs of being a parent.
Let’s have a conversation.