SCH 113 Self-Care Hacks I’ve Learned from Parenting

Looking back, I can hardly believe I’ve learned any self-care hacks from parenting. During those early years, I completely forgot how to take care of myself. But in retrospect, I did learn something. Maybe the lessons I’ve learned can help you.

“Your daughters are so well-behaved,” the church lady cooed as she watched our adorable daughters in their *Daisy Kingdom dresses politely shake hands with another parishioner.

“Thank you,” I said. Inside, I tried to hide my giddy sense of pride. I was doing this parenting thing the right way, after all! Other adults enjoyed my children. The emotional energy required to “raise my children” exhausted me. I spent more time worrying over them and trying to micromanage their movements than I did taking care of myself.

By the time they reached their teen and pre-teen years, I wanted to run up to the next pregnant woman I saw and say, “You’ll regret becoming a parent! Your kids will do things that frustrate you, anger you, and disappoint you deeply. Just saying.”

I finally realized what I should have understood much sooner. Children were never meant to be our possessions. Nor should we expect them to turn out just like us. God created each of them in HIS image. Full of potential, beauty, brains, and creativity. Maybe I would have had more time to take care of myself if I had spent less time trying to raise my kids and more time enjoying them.

No matter what season of life you find yourself in, the self-care hacks I learned from parenting will help you. Maybe you’ll find more time for yourself and have more in your tank to give your children or grandchildren. Perhaps you don’t have children yet. Today’s episode will help you understand how to avoid the mistakes I made. In doing so, you’ll have more energy to take care of yourself. Micromanaging is exhausting.

What self-care hack would you share with younger parents if you are a parent?

*If you know how to sew, you might remember those darling, frilly dresses from the pattern catalogs. My parents lived near the Daisy Kingdom flagship store, and I always visited to buy seconds of their fabrics at prices I could afford.

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Join me next week when I interview Mary DeMuth, author of Love, Pray, Listen.

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