(Posted 2021 December)
Let’s talk self-care! During this hectic season, it can be really easy to get busy and forget the importance of making time for yourself. Trying to manage limited time and resources can make it harder for parents and caregivers to enjoy family time.
It might seem counterintuitive, but it is important to invest time in self-care so you can be fully present with your children and loved ones. This is true regardless of the time of year.
The Parenting Education Programs staff has some advice to help you evaluate how well you are caring for yourself. Pulled from The Nurturing Parenting Program curriculum, staff explains that there are six basic human needs called SPICES:
Social – The need for friendship and companionship.- Physical – The need for food, sleep, exercise, air, water.
- Intellectual – The need for stimulation of new ideas or thought.
- Creative – The need to express one’s inner self. Creative needs are expressed in areas like a person’s appearance, dress, dance, poetry, and cooking.
- Emotional – The need for love, praise, security, trust, and other basic emotions.
- Spiritual – The need for belonging and membership. The need to believe in the power of goodness. Membership in a family is a spiritual experience.
The best way to nurture yourself is by making sure all your needs are met. Each of these areas is key to your resilience, or ease at adapting to unexpected challenges. So, check out this questionnaire to determine how well you are doing at self-care.
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Everyone has varying needs for being around others. However, some level of social interaction is good for all people.
Ask yourself a few questions such as:
Like any other part of the body, the brain needs exercise to stay in shape. Pursuing activities that stretch your mind can only benefit you. There is research suggesting that mental exercises help to delay the decline in thinking skills. Reading, taking a class, exploring a hobby, doing puzzles, or learning something new like a language or instrument are all ways to keep your mind sharp for many years to come.
Creativity keeps life interesting and opens up endless possibilities for personal growth. It doesn’t have to cost you anything extra. Trying out new recipes, changing up accent pieces in your wardrobe, getting a new hairstyle, or making something artistic to put on display are all ways you can keep your creative spark alive. You know what they say – variety is the spice of life.
Everyone experiences the need for emotional support. Fulfilling this need comes from feeling good about yourself and having good relationships that provide a sense of love and security. It’s okay to feel stress, anger, and sadness sometimes, but it’s important to be able to manage negative feelings. When a situation is more than you can handle on your own, it’s important to turn to your network of supporters and maybe even a doctor or therapist for help and a safe space to process emotions.
Spirituality can be found in community and belonging. As the old saying goes, no one is an island. Connection to a group, whether it is a spiritual home, a community organization, or a family, creates a sense of belonging that fulfills a need for support. Spirituality is also found in self-reflection. Meditation, prayer, mindfulness, and journaling are all examples of ways to connect inwardly and experience calm, peace, and comfort.
Absolutely, caring for your children is a top priority, but you can’t pour from an empty cup. If you don’t take time to do even small things that refill your spirit, then you won’t have any energy to support those around you. If you allow your cup to run dry, then you run the risk of losing your patience and being short-tempered with your children over little things. Make time to nurture yourself!