6 steps to take when you feel overwhelmed as a parent
Trying to find your footing as a parent is hard work. And as soon as you feel like you figure it out, your kiddos grow and change, and you feel like you are back to square one. We know how it goes, that’s why we are here to help remind you of a few steps you can take to make it through the overwhelming times, and onto loving and enjoyable moments!
Take a step back
If you find that you are almost to your breaking point, try your best not to get there fully! Take a step back and reevaluate what you are feeling. By pinpointing your feelings and seeing where they are stemming from, you can make sure that you aren’t projecting your emotions onto an undeserving recipient/situation. That step back will help stop you from getting to the point that would be hard to come back from.
Employ your cooldown talk
Do you have things that you say to yourself when you are proud or need a boost of confidence? Well, it is great to have a cooldown talk memorised and at the ready, too. That way, if your step back hasn’t fully succeeded, you can talk yourself down as best as possible. Some people use counting, mantra repetition, verses, or even song lyrics to calm themselves. Though we hope you don’t get a lot of practice with this one, practice will indeed make close to perfect. You will be able to see what methods work to cool you off.
Take a breather
If you need some help on your breather, you may want to check out some apps like Calm. They are made to help lower your heart rate, put you in a better mental state, and ultimately help you calm down. The app can also help you to go to sleep if you find that you would rather deal with most of your stressors in the morning. We don’t recommend going to sleep with a heavy heart and a full mind, but sometimes rest is necessary to be able to see things clearly the next day.
Recruit some help
Parenting is not easy! There, we said it. It takes a village to raise kiddos, so make sure you ask for help! There is no shame in recruiting people to be on your parenting team. Friends and family members are the best, and most obvious, candidates. Let them know you could use some assistance. Whether you need help babysitting or just need an encouraging text throughout the day, they will have your back! You just have to ask!
Have your designated self-care time
A vital part of being a parent is having some time for yourself! Though your family is your world if you don’t take care of yourself, how will you take care of your family? You need to be on your A-game if you want to make sure you are up to the challenges parenting brings. If you have a hard time relaxing, you may want to invest in a natural way to help you reach that relaxed state. CBDfx vape pens are a great way to help you relax even when you think it might not be possible. Their natural products will help ease your stress, and you will be well on your way to relaxation.
Learn from it
It is great to employ all these steps, but one of the most important is making sure you learn from your experiences! You have to try and figure out what actually works for you as a parent. Take notes (try out a lovely papier notebook!) on what seems to be working, or what doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to try new things to see what it will spark!
Though these steps will work in order, you are not being held to hard and fast rules with this one. Try out what works best for your family, and you will be the best parent you have ever been!