Self-Care for You and Your Child
Self care is a term we all throw around quite a bit these days, especially as adults. However, we often don’t think about what self-care can do for our kids! Children, just like adults, benefit greatly from consistent and purposeful self-care. Taking care of yourself is the number one way to reduce stress and achieve a more balanced life.
You may be wondering, “Why does my kid need self-care?! They have nothing to be stressed or anxious about!” Teaching your child healthy and effective habits of taking care of themselves will help them manage stressors in the future. This can also be a fun way to build a relationship with your child and create a space for you to clear your mind and move your body, so it can be the best it can be!
While we often think of self-care as “treating yourself” like indulging in your favorite food or some other type of monetary reward, it’s not really about those kinds of activities (although a trip to the ice cream shop is certainly welcomed from time to time). In reality, the best self-care activities that you can teach your child are ones that they can do that provide long-term benefits, not just instant gratification.
In fact, participating in self-care activities with your child should be inexpensive, accessible, and not require an excessive amount of time because they work best when they are practiced consistently. Although self-care will provide you with long-term benefits, if you’re not used to practicing it, it can feel like an extra job (like starting to go to the gym or learning a new hobby).
Self-care can look like a lot of things; it can be active or passive. Active self-care looks like doing things that make you feel good (hiking, getting enough sleep, cooking a good meal). Whereas passive self-care means surrounding yourself with things that bring you joy and doing little things throughout the day to make yourself feel good (like having your favorite plant nearby or taking a short walk). When thinking of self-care activities to do with your child, try engaging in activities that promote the overall well-being of you and your child by making meaningful and healthy choices that encourage connectedness, empowerment, and stability.
Have Fun Together
Research shows that laughter can help lower stress levels, so what better way to spend time with your child than doing something you both enjoy and can invite in some silliness? Play a favorite game, complete a craft, or build a fort and watch a funny movie!
When you’re doing things that bring both of you joy, try and make yourself fully present. Eliminate distractions like cell phones and tablets (see our previous article on Limiting Screen Time) to allow yourself and your child to really engage in the experience. By enjoying time with your child, you will figure out what kind of activities they like and will be able to use those in the future to help your child eliminate stress. For a list of free fun activities each month in Austin, sign up for our newsletter here.
Take Care of Your Body
Taking care of your body doesn’t mean beautifying, toning, or trying to get it into perfect shape; rather it means creating a consistent, fun way of being physically active. That can look like playing soccer in the backyard, taking a walk, or riding bikes. You can also think of it as something that decompresses you like stretching, breathing, or meditation. You would be surprised how many kids come to therapy and end up loving an activity like going through a yoga card deck! The point is to help kids build a healthy relationship with physical activity that provides some balance in their life.
Enjoy the Outdoors
My Grandma always told me, “There is nothing a good long walk can’t fix!” Getting outside, moving, and enjoying some sunlight always feels good, and this also shows kids that sometimes a change of environment can relieve stress. In warmer months, head over to Deep Eddy Pool for a swim or Zilker Park to play frisbee. Feeling adventurous? Go hiking or camping and roast marshmallows over a campfire! Getting out of town together builds memories and experiences together.
Work Together to Find What Feels Good
Have you ever been forced to do an activity that you weren’t a fan of? It didn’t feel too good, huh? Your kids feel the same way. You may be gung-ho on an activity that you think will be the best, but they don’t end up feeling the same. Finding what you both like and have in common may take some work, but it will be well worth it once you find your balance and happy activities! Try sitting down with them every once and a while to brainstorm ideas for how you can both take care of yourselves.
At the end of the day, self-care is something we all need to learn how to do, no matter what season of life we’re in or what our job is. Practicing self-care activities with your children will model to them how to do it for themselves in the future and teach them how to make healthy choices.