There’s no question that we’re living in a fast-paced, often stressful world. As a parent, you might feel more stress than most, putting your family above just about everything else. It’s your job to teach your children, care for them, and model the kind of person you hope they will grow up to be.
If you’re not taking care of yourself, you could be teaching your children the wrong habits to develop as they get older. What you do now plays a crucial role in shaping your children’s behaviors and attitudes. That includes the value of self-care.
By modeling self-care practices in your everyday life, you’ll instill the importance of it into your children. You’ll let them know that they have value and deserve to take care of themselves.
Even if you think you don’t have time for regular self-care, it’s easier to incorporate healthy habits that boost your well-being into your daily routine than you might think. Your children are paying attention, and your habits matter.
Making self-care a habit
People often confuse actual self-care with what they see online. Self-care isn’t about buying the latest Peleton or taking a bath every night. If anything, that kind of thinking keeps people from making simple self-care practices a part of their daily routine.
Self-care doesn’t have to be anything extreme. It can be something as simple as prioritizing sleep each night, or eating a healthy diet. If you want to turn these practices into habits, do what’s easily accessible for you, including things like:
- Practicing daily hygiene;
- Exercising regularly;
- Maintaining positive relationships;
- Staying hydrated;
- Taking up a hobby.
These habits are often daily and weekly-based, but habitual self-care can also take on the form of monthly or yearly appointments with your doctor. Unfortunately, It’s not uncommon for kids to have a fear of going to the doctor. When you have a positive attitude about it and show them with your own appointments that there’s nothing to be afraid of, however, they’re likely to understand how important it is to get regular checkups – with nothing to fear.
Physical self-care
Physical self-care can take many forms, from adopting a skincare routine each night to dedicating twenty minutes to stretching or yoga each morning. But, teaching your kids that it’s important to value and take care of their bodies will lead to lasting healthy habits.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easy to dedicate yourself to your physical health. It can be a challenge to wake up early to work out or to consistently eat nutritious foods. But, doing so will allow you to develop healthy habits that will give you more energy and stamina to be there for your kids. More importantly, you’ll model habits that will allow your children to lead healthier lives.
You can make things easier on yourself by finding shortcuts that work for your lifestyle. For example, maybe you don’t have the time, money, or energy to get to the gym every day. Consider transforming your garage into a home gym. Not only will it motivate you to work out more often, but because it’s in the comfort of your own home, your kids can actually exercise with you.
When it comes to healthy eating, you don’t necessarily need to change your entire diet overnight. Start small and incorporate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats into your diet. Doing so can help to build healthy eating habits in your children and make them less likely to be picky eaters as adults.
Mental and emotional self-care
While physical self-care practices are important, you can’t ignore your own mental health, or the emotional well-being of your kids. Children pick up on stress very easily, and tend to internalize it. Unfortunately, it can manifest itself as things like tantrums, changes in emotions, or differences in sleeping or eating habits. Modeling mental self-care can teach them how to understand and regulate their emotions, leading to less stress and a better hold on their mental well-being.
Consider healthy habits that are easily approachable and can have a positive impact on your mental health. Things like journaling, mindfulness, meditation, and yoga can become part of your daily routine with ease. When you show your kids that you’re taking time out of your day specifically to focus on your mental health, they’ll understand how important it is to care for themselves inside and out.
Socialization is another great self-care practice that can boost your mental well-being. It also teaches your children how to interact with people, and can boost their confidence and communication skills. As humans, we’re not meant to be isolated individuals. Teaching your kids the importance of socialization and a support system is a great way to help them avoid the pitfalls of isolation and loneliness later in life.
As you can see, you’re creating a blueprint for life for your kids just by the things you do each day. If you’re not already prioritizing self-care and making sure your children see your healthy habits, it’s never too late to start.
Charlie Fletcher is a freelance writer from the lovely “city of trees”- Boise, Idaho. Her love of writing pairs with her passion for social activism and search for the truth. You can find more of her writing on her Contently.