When we think of a self-care routine, we often picture spas, a full-body massage, and aromatherapy. While those are all excellent forms of self-care, pampering ourselves should also involve nurturing our physical well-being and relationships.
For parents, self-care shouldn’t necessarily be a time away from your family, especially your children. Sure, the kids can test your patience and temper. In that case, then parents really deserve some break. But as kids grow up, their hobbies will also start to lean on the calmer side. Instead of running around your backyard in the afternoon, they’d choose to read books or listen to music.
When that time comes, that’d be the perfect opportunity for us to introduce them to self-care. We should teach them how to pamper themselves because it’ll help regulate their emotions, which will run high in their adolescence and teens. Enjoying a self-care session as a family also brings us closer together.
Here are some fun self-care activities families will love:
1. Create New Goals for the Family
If you want to raise disciplined kids without being controlling, try setting goals for your family. This will help your kids stay focused, instead of distracted by potentially bad influence material.
Goals that can impart discipline include reducing TV or smartphone time, cutting down junk food or sweets, and going to bed earlier. But before finalizing those goals, find out the triggers that make your children lose control during those activities. For example, maybe losing a game triggers an impulse in your little boy to binge-watch on Youtube. By identifying your children’s stressors and triggers, you can make each goal manageable.
2. Cook Meals Together
Children often get more excited when they eat out or order takeout. But they also need to appreciate home-cooked meals. It’s healthier and cheaper. Not to mention cooking is a relaxing activity for the parent.
If you find it hard to think of a dish to cook, have your family members choose a recipe for you. Ask them to search for healthy recipes on the internet, then challenge yourselves in copying them. Give different roles to each family member; for example, your eldest prepares the ingredients, your youngest reads the cooking instructions, and you and your spouse cook or bake. Taste-test the finished product together. Even if you didn’t perfect the recipe, what counts more is the fun you had.
3. Go for Walks
Walking has many health benefits, such as exercising your muscles and engaging your senses, to name a few. It also keeps you away from electronics, unless you take your phone with you. But to maximize the amazing effects of walking, unplug and just enjoy the presence of your family. Let your kids connect with nature. It’ll stimulate their minds and develop their appreciation for the environment.
4. Go to Bed at the Same Time
Going to bed at the same time as your kids become impossible the older they get. So while they’re still young, establish a family bedtime routine. The National Sleep Foundation stated that sleeping at the same time helps regulate your body clock and improve your sleep quality. Since you probably get up early to help the kids get ready for school, it makes perfect sense to sleep at the same time as them.
If you tend to feel restless at night, try getting a massage to calm your body and mind. Buy a relaxing portable massager machine so that you don’t have to hire a masseuse anymore. Your kids can also use it if they play sports and suffer aching muscles as a result. You can also use it even while you’re working, especially if you are sitting all day.
5. Have Meaningful Conversations
To decrease the chances of your kids becoming detached from you when they turn into teens, make it a routine to have meaningful conversations as often as you can. Start while they’re still young. Open up about your feelings and thoughts, creating space for a family reflection. This session should be free of judgment, because it’ll eventually become your kids’ safe space to talk when they deal with heartaches or failures in their teens. When they see their family as an embodiment of security and love, they’ll also trust you with their problems in adulthood.
6. Find Time to be Alone
Even if your family are amazing companions, you still need a healthy time alone once in a while. Your spouse and kids need the same as well. Encourage your family members to make time for their own hobbies. Give them uninterrupted video game time, let them shop alone, or let them do their makeup in their room. While a family is a single unit, each member’s individuality shouldn’t be taken away. Let yourselves form an identity that isn’t attached to one another.
Developing a family self-care plan strengthens your bond and your individuality at the same time. It allows you to know one another deeply, builds trust, and creates a healthy home environment. It may also repair strained relationships and bring back the harmony in your abode.
