Self-Care for Parents
SCANVA is a great source of encouragement for parents to care for themselves. This organization has a poster, articles, radio show and podcast.
Self-Care for Parents poster
DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL/EMOTIONAL SELF? DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR CREATIVE/SPIRITUAL SELF? Parents often feel pressured to give so much to our children that we forget to take care of ourselves, or we feel guilty for taking care of ourselves.
https://www.scanva.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/SelfCare2016_English.pdf
An article from SCANVA
https://www.scanva.org/?s=self+care+for+parents
Parenting Today radio show, about 10 minutes:
https://www.scanva.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Parenting_Today_Self_Care.mp3
A podcast on self-care for parents with iHeart Radio’s Lori Brooks:
https://www.scanva.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ParentingPodcast_5_SelfCare.mp3
OTHER SOURCES
This article from AhaParenting.com is about taking care of your deeper wounds in order to benefit yourself and your child. # 5 has some good ideas for taking care of yourself by de-stressing:
Healing Yourself So You Can Be a More Peaceful Parent
http://www.ahaparenting.com/parenting-tools/positive-discipline/healing-yourself
An article by Erin Leyba, LCSW, Ph.D., contributor to Psychology Today magazine.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/joyful-parenting/201708/25-simple-self-care-tools-parents
PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support), has several helpful articles:
Self-Care for Parents:
http://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/self-care-for-parents
PEPS Moms share how they recharge:
http://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/how-PEPS-Moms-recharge
Self-care for Parents of Newborns:
http://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/parents-of-newborns
Check Your Boobies:
http://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/check-your-boobies
Creating Healthy Families: Putting Yourself and Your Relationship First
http://www.peps.org/ParentResources/by-topic/self-care/grow-parenting
MORE ARTICLES
Why self-care is an important part of parenting, and how to make time for it:https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/on-parenting/in-defense-of-a-parents-day-off/2017/01/23/270ffafc-d8f2-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html?utm_term=.4954e2519116
This article from GoZen! nicely balances a philosophical approach to self-care with practical tips:
8 Self-Care Tips for Parents Who Have No Time for Self-Care
https://www.gozen.com/8-self-care-tips-for-parents-who-have-no-time-for-self-care/
From Ladies Want More.com, here’s a short, down-to earth article that makes it sound easy!
5 Steps to Self-Care for Parents in the New Yearhttp://www.ladieswantmore.com/5-steps-to-self-care-for-parents-in-the-new-year/
VIDEOS
Carrie Contey is a nationally recognized prenatal and perinatal psychologist. Here are several of her short, inspiring videos.
In this one she enthusiastically encourages parents to take care of themselves!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=mk523mJ_Rqk
And this one is just pure fun! It’ll make you smile and inspire you to try out some of these ways to take care of yourself. It’s just under two minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQnIE49pu_g
This one is profound, and only four minutes long. It is directed to teachers but very applicable to parenting (the overlap is striking):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=234&v=1cBDWW_NRBc
If you need even more support for prioritizing care of yourself, just google “Self Care for Parents,” and visit both the “web” and “video” results pages. There are an amazing number of articles, posters and videos out there!
