Sometimes it feels like a mom’s work is never done. There are never enough hours in the day and it’s easy to forget the importance of taking time for yourself and your family. Follow these top tips for some great ways to look after yourself, keep your family healthy and happy and deal with the stresses of being a busy mom.
SLEEP
Sleep is vital for physical and mental health. Without it, your temper will fray and you won’t have the energy you need to manage hectic days. Children who don’t get enough sleep will be fractious and tired at the wrong times, impacting on their ability to participate and learn.
Establish a firm bed-time routine. That’s easier said than done but if you stick to the plan, eventually it will be accepted. Make sure the routine allows time for getting changed and brushing teeth and perhaps include ten minutes for a story or talking about something good that happened that day so they can wind down before sleep.
It is equally important you do this for yourself! Don’t stay up late watching that film or getting work finished. Try to work at least two early nights into your week. Repeated lack of sleep has been shown to have serious negative health side effects including increased risk of heart attack and strokes, keeping your house happy and healthy starts with number one!
EAT HEALTHILY
These days many healthy meals can be made from scratch quickly and cheaply. Encourage your kids to eat fruit and veg and drink plenty of water. Include these in their lunch boxes and add dried fruit to breakfast cereals and yoghurts. Get them involved with cooking so they can make choices about what they have, such as putting healthy toppings on home-made pizzas or adding their choice of veg to a stir-fry or pasta.
Make your own lollies by pureeing fresh fruit and freezing them in moulds. Create stripy ones by layering brightly colored fruits like mango, strawberries and kiwi; it’s a great way to get fruit into the kids and they’re fun to make, too!
EXERCISE AND PLAY!
Find time for a walk with the kids or a trip to the park. A number of activity centers provide low-cost, or even free, entertainment for children in safe, supervised environments where they can let off steam and give you a chance to catch up on some ‘me time’!
Take the kids swimming or try out a new sport with them. Look out for summer activity courses where they can try their hand at something new or activities where parents can join in with their children.
Perhaps schedule one day every month for a family day out, for example the beach, a picnic, a forest trail or visit somewhere new.
Remember you’re not alone! There are lots of support groups and organizations who can provide advice and help to moms managing busy lives. Check out your local facilities or look online for clubs or groups in your local area. A few basic changes can make all the difference – good luck!
