Christine's Corner: Mental Health: Taking care of ourselves is a must!

2020 did a number on us! So as we enter 2021, we, as parents, need to focus on our mental health so that we can be the best versions of us-for our children, for our partner, for our community, and most importantly for ourselves.

Here are some goals set out in an article by Stephanie Thomas, a contributor to the Parent Cue blog, to help us take the first steps in focusing on our mental health.

Mental Health Goal 1: Take care of yourself every day.

Raise your hand if you missed a few showers last year. Zoom meetings and toddler tantrums might mean the basics took a back seat. So let’s take the basics back. Do something that makes you feel cared for every day.

Mental Health Goal 2: Create a safe space in your home.

Grab some figurative caution tape and declare a spot (or a whole room!) in your home completely off limits.

Mental Health Goal 3: Establish a rest-time routine.

Choose a specific time of day and call it rest time for all ages.

Mental Health Goal 4: Accept that the negative emotions aren’t about you.

Let your kids know they are welcome to have big, uncomfortable feelings, but they’re not allowed to treat you unkindly. Listen, talk, and move on.

Mental Health Goal 5: Replace magic with moments.

Here’s a message that’s hard for our parenting generation to hear: your kids don’t need a magical childhood. They simply need moments of connection with you.

The link to the whole article is here.

Another article about mental health by Dr. Chinwe Williams can be found here.

It can be challenging to take the time to focus on ourselves. But it is necessary that we begin somewhere when it comes to our mental health. I hope that you make yourself a priority this year!