Parenthood is a really interesting thing. On the one hand, it’s incredibly rewarding and enjoyable. On the other hand, it really is a life-changer. It comes with all sorts of pluses and minuses, and it’s all-consuming. Once your little one arrives, you really don’t get to take a break from being a parent.
As the days, weeks, and months roll by, a lot of parents begin to feel exhausted. This article will provide a few tips on how to avoid burning out.
Hobbies Are More Important Than You Realize
It’s really common for new parents to give up their hobbies once a baby arrives. Were you into yoga, biking, and tennis? Good luck finding time for that with a newborn in the house.
While it’s normal to put hobbies and pretty much everything else on the back burner when you become a parent, you shouldn’t wait too long to pick these things back up. There are just too many major benefits to keeping up with your hobbies.
If you love taking yoga classes, it’s important to find time for them. That way, you’ll have something fun to look forward to every week. Not only that, but it also gives you a bit of a break from family life, which lets you recharge your batteries. Plus, it gives you a social outlet that is unrelated to parenting and kids, which can be a really important part of your identity.
Get Out And About
When you have kids, getting out of the house can be a bit of an ordeal. Gone are the days when you can just throw on some shoes and run out at the drop of a hat. When you have an infant or a toddler at home, you need to do a diaper change, pack a bag with everything that you might need, and then put them into a car seat. It might not sound like much, but the whole process can easily take 15 or 20 minutes. Plus, you can only go out for a couple hours at the most, since it will then be time for a nap, feeding or another diaper change before long. All of this can be a big deterrent and makes parents think it’s easier to just stay home.
But getting out is worth it! If you stay home, one day can really blur into the next. Instead, try and plan some fun family outings. You might head to a park, or a beach, or some other fun destination. Even if you’re just going to put your little one into a carrier or umbrella stroller and walk around town, a change of scenery can still be nice.
Get Some Sleep
You may have heard that it’s impossible to get any sleep once you have kids. This is true, unfortunately, at least for the first few months. After that though, you just might be able to start finding a rhythm.
If you’re really lucky, your little one will start sleeping through the night. If not though, take turns with your spouse so that one of you is on night-time duty every other night. That way, at least one of you will wake up feeling refreshed every morning.
There is no easier way to get burned out than by going through every day exhausted. So, do what you can to combat this with a good night of sleep. Make self-care a priority because you can only care for your kids best when you are taking care of yourself first.
Enjoy The Ride
Attitude is everything in life. Parenthood has tons of ups and downs, and it can be really easy to let the down times get to you. Having trouble getting your baby to sleep at night? Does your little one cry at bath time every day? Does your toddler refuse to start potty training? There many other things like this that will absolutely wear you down if you let them.
Instead of letting your frustration get to you though, just crack a smile. A lot of times, the frustrating things really aren’t that big of a deal. Instead of focusing on these things, just try and bask in the joys that parenthood has to offer. Watch your toddler delight in playing with their activity table or trying to ride a tricycle. Simple things like this happen every day, so soak them up!
Guest Blogger: Ryan Howard runs SmartParentAdvice, a site that provides parenting advice for moms and dads. Ryan writes about all of the different ups and downs of parenting, provides solutions to common challenges, and reviews products that parents need to purchase for babies and toddlers.
