Balanced Parenting

Parenting can drain energy as well as finances. Finding and centering yourself amidst the chaos can help you stay motivated and happy, and can help you cultivate a richer, fuller home life. Some parents find that discovering themselves and centering their emotions can be almost as challenging as the act of parenting. These tips will help you sort out your feelings so you can enjoy a more fulfilling home life with your children.

Take Time For Yourself

Parents sometimes tend to give too much of themselves. It’s admirable to see parents who want to give all their time and energy to their families, but still, these habits can lead to an unhealthy loss of perspective. Failure to take time for yourself could cause stress and anxiety, which could lead to difficulty at home. For the budget-conscious parent, there are many ways to engage in meaningful, enjoyable activities that are not family focused.

Meditate. Meditation is the perfect way to spend time alone in a reflective state of calm. To meditate, all you’ll need is a quiet space and a little bit of time. Some calming music in the background may help as well. When meditating, sit comfortably, close your eyes and breathe naturally. Feel the breath coming in and out of the body. Do not judge yourself or your actions. Notice the way your body feels to inhale and exhale. Meditation can be done for a few minutes a day or for as long as you want.

Take a Hot Bath. Taking a hot bath can help you relax while you clean your body. When the hot bath is over, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to face the world. Ask another adult to take your children for 45 minutes while you enjoy a nice hot bath in the evening.

Find a Hobby. Hobbies don’t have to be time consuming or expensive. There are many hobbies that are realistic for budget-conscious, busy parents. Consider knitting or crocheting, which are hobbies that can be done almost anywhere and for brief spurts of time. Yarn can be purchased inexpensively and when a project is finished, you’ll have something useful to show for it. This is a perfect hobby for a parent with limited time or money to spend on themselves.

Stay Connected

No one understands what you’re going through better than other parents. Spending time with parents who have children of the same age or the same grade as yours will give you someone to talk to and share time with.

It’s common for a parent to feel like their household is crazier than other households. Parents often feel isolated when dealing with the troubles that come from raising children. Talking to other parents can help you see that there are many people out there experiencing problems similar to yours. You’ll feel less alone and you might even learn a few coping tips from other parents.

Prioritize

Between cooking meals, paying bills, cleaning the house and all the other pressures and hassles, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters. Many parents become so caught up in the day to day tasks that need to be accomplished, they forget what really matters.

To help you stay focused, make a list of your top priorities and goals. What do you want to do with your life? What are the most important and fulfilling things you do? Once your list is made, take time to reflect. How much time do you spend on your priorities? Are you reaching your goals? If not, now is the time to make change.

Financial and time constraints often prevent you from addressing all your priorities or goals at once. To ensure that you continue to make progress, choose one of the easier, more inexpensive items from your list, then make a plan to accomplish it. Take a slow, measured approach to avoid overwhelming yourself.

You may feel that you don’t accomplish much but chances are, you do! Take time at the end of every evening to make a list of what you’ve accomplished. Looking back on what you did that day will help you feel like the your efforts mean something.

Enjoy Your Children

Between activities and school, work and pressures at home, all the rushing around can make it hard to spend quality time with your children. Set aside at least a couple hours each week for one activity with your kids. This might involve playing games, going for a walk or working on a craft together. These simple pleasures can bring you and your children together, and can make your family stronger.