Many times parents and caregivers of children do not think about caregiver stress and how it can affect them. However caregiver stress is real and can take a toll on your family as well as yourself. From a parent who has a child with difficult temperament I find myself dealing with caregiver stress frequently. So what kinds of things can you do to ease that stress that can creep up out of nowhere?
1. Exercise- This is one of the most important things you can do to help with caregiver stress. Often times we find many excuses why we can't exercise, in reality exercise releases a lot of stress. Once you get started and exercise you will be glad that you did.
2. Don't sweat the small stuff- We need to pick our battles when it comes to dealing with our children. Sometimes we need to stop and think, does this really matter in the grand scheme of things.
3. Stop and count to ten- When our external circumstances cause us to react without thinking, sometime we need to just stop, breath and count to ten. Many times our caregiver stress can compound and we can make a mountain out of a mole hill.
4. Take time for you- Even if you can only find a few minutes a day. Schedule time for yourself to do something that you enjoy. Do you like reading, making crafts, taking a bubble bath, listening to music? Take at least 30 minutes a day just for YOU.
Caregiver stress is real and can make a difference in how we can be effective and balanced parents and caregivers. Caregiver stress needs to be taken seriously and you can make a difference in how it affects you. Take steps to prevent yourself from falling in to a spiral downhill.
One activity I like to do with parents during my parent education classes is to take a pitcher of water and fill it. I will then take cups that represent things in life. Our children, jobs, friends, family, other responsibilities. Each cup represents "pouring in to things in life." Often times the pitcher becomes empty before we get to ourselves. Then pouring in to ourselves becomes impossible.
Don't let that happen to you. Make yourself a priority.
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