The Basics
So, in our first installment which I realize, was more than 2 weeks ago, we started the conversation about the relationship between you and your child with some emphasis on caring for you being as important as taking care of your child.
Let’s talk about a few ways of caring for yourself. I think it is easier for parents to think of that in terms of what they do for their child. One of the things we do for our children is to make sure they have food, clothing, and a place to call home. One might think it an obvious correlation that there is also food, clothing and a place for you to call home. I have discovered that is not always true with parents. They make sure their child has a lunch or lunch money but prepare nothing for themselves. They make sure their child has water in their water bottle but often don’t even have a water bottle for themselves. So, let’s start there. I know parents often don’t think to make a lunch for themselves because of course they will pick something up later or maybe they don’t need anything.
Yes, it is true that children have different nutritional needs than adults, but they are not that different. If you don’t eat all day, your metabolism slows down and you have less patience with yourself and others than you would otherwise. How often do you actually get to take a break that is long enough to get food and eat it without feeling rushed? How much more difficult would it be to pack yourself a lunch at the same time you pack the kid’s lunch? How hard would it be to buy a couple of things at the store that you would enjoy in your lunch? Packing your lunch would save you time, money and help you take better care of yourself, all the while giving you a little more time to relax at mid-day. You could read a book, play a game, talk to friends in person or on the phone, or maybe even go for a walk.
It is all about changing habits. I am in no way saying that it is easy, but I am saying that it is worth doing. Most clinical studies show that it takes 21 days to change a habit. It doesn’t seem to matter if it is physical, emotional or behavioral. So, that is to say, it won’t be too hard for too long time.
The last piece we will talk about today is water. You send your child to school with water but you fill your cup with coffee or soda or something else to get yourself moving into the day. That’s ok but it doesn’t mean that your body does not also need water. Water is what flushes the toxins out of your body. Without it, that stuff stays stuck and makes you irritable, cranky and sick. So have your coffee or soda, but also make sure that there is an equal size bottle of water tucked away in your bag or in your car and that you actually drink it.
Remember, 21days. It won’t be hard forever but it will make forever a lot more enjoyable.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.