The more I connect with parents about their “pandemic parenting”, the more I hear about people feeling defeated, discouraged and disappointed in themselves. We need to be honest with ourselves and each other that this experience continues to be hard. No one was prepared for the full impact of the restrictions and intense family time.
We lost any cushions of personal time we had when other people were caring for our children. School, daycare, babysitters, playing with friends–all taken away and, frankly, still nearly impossible to come by. We are exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. We aren’t bringing our best selves to our daily lives, especially in our interactions with our children. We are facing a school year that will look anything but normal, no matter how school is starting in your district. And there is still no end in sight for life returning to normal.
All that said, we need to remember that even in these unchartered waters, we are getting it right at least some of the time. We can build on that positivity.
I encourage you to spend a quiet moment reflecting on a time you nailed it with your kids in the last 5 months of pandemic parenting. (Yes, I know quiet moments are hard to come by!) Think about what went right and why you were able to show up in a way that allowed you to get it right. What were you doing? What were you kids doing? How did it feel?
Remembering a time you did it right reminds you what you are capable of. If you did it once. you can do it again. Some aspect of self-care probably contributed to how you were able to show up. Maybe you were well-rested or had time to go for a walk alone. Maybe you had just connected with your friends via a Zoom coffee/happy hour. Perhaps you simply had time to shower and get dressed in something other than lounge-wear.
When you take care of yourself, even in small ways like being sure to brush your teeth in the morning, you bring a different version of yourself to your interactions with your kids. Need help finding time or remembering a time you nailed it? Contact me and we can work together to get you on the right track.
#selfcare #pandemicparenting #perceptiveparents #parenting #coaching #parentingcoaching #familylifecoach
