Caring for Elderly Parents When You Have Just Had a Baby

Having a baby is a wondrous event, and it is a time of sheer pleasure and pure bliss; caring for this little being that has grown and developed inside of you for the last nine months is a kind of magic that only mothers know and appreciate. However, this bliss can be short-lived if you have other large commitments to honor, such as caring for your elderly parents on a daily basis. Caring for your elderly parents can suck up your time and your energy if you are not careful, and this can ultimately leave you spending less quality time with your new baby. So, how can you juggle both the care of your parents and the care of your baby? How can you ensure that you are giving your new baby the time, love, and dedication they require while still looking after your parents in the same way that you did before your baby arrived?

Firstly Look After Your Body

Your body has just gone through a huge ordeal, and it takes time to heal. Whether you had a natural or assisted birth, recovery time isn’t hugely different. Your body still needs time to recuperate and heal, and if you do not give your body the time it needs to heal and get better, then you could potentially be damaging your health and your well-being, not just in the short term but in the long term too. To help your body heal, you need to focus on eating a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet, and you need to ensure that you get as much sleep and relaxation as possible. If you do not focus on yourself at this key time, then you may struggle further down the road.

Caring for Your Baby is the Priority

Yes, your parents need you, but so too does your baby. Your baby depends on you for their care and nurturing, and if you do not provide the nurturing that they need and you provide basic care only, you could risk delaying your baby’s development and potentially even restricting how they develop and grow. So, ensure that your baby gets both the care and attention they need at all times of the day, learn to listen to your baby, and learn to spot cues and signals. When you spot their cues, and you listen to the signals, you can ensure that unnecessary crying and wailing is avoided.

Take Time to Heal from the Inside Out

Mentally and physically, your body and your emotions have been through the grinder over the last few weeks, and emotionally you need to take that time out to heal and regroup. Physical healing and emotional healing are interdependent and are as important as one another, so ensure that you focus on the whole package of healing and not just certain elements, as you will find you will struggle to fully heal if you only follow on certain bits or areas. There is no time limit or deadline on when you have to heal, so do not rush the process; take your time, focus on yourself and your new baby.

Listen to Your Body and Your Intuition

You cannot do everything the same as you did before you had your baby; changes are natural. Trying to juggle your parent's care and the care and development of your new baby is a big ask, so remember to listen to your body and your intuition. If you need to get assistance from your parents, then get it organized. If you need to get an early night, no matter how unsociable, then make this happen. Denying yourself what you know to be right or going against your body’s needs and wants will affect you in the long run, so don’t do it.

Seek Support from Health and Medical Professionals

You realize just how much time your parents need, especially after having a baby, so where you can utilize support and help from health and medical professionals. Make sure that your parents get an AWV medicare check, and ensure that they keep up with their regular doctors’ appointments. Spotting problems sooner rather than later when looking after elderly parents will ensure that you can work on solutions in a timely manner. Health and medical professionals may help you arrange care and support for your parents, and they may even help organize regular home visits for your parents. So, do not be afraid to reach out to healthcare professionals.

Establishing a New Routine

Your routine before you had your new baby will look different from what it does now, and it is important to remember that change can be good and positive. As a parent to a baby, you need to ensure that you establish a routine as soon as possible. When you get both yourself and your baby into a routine, you can ensure that you get everything done in the day that needs doing. Take heart in knowing that the first few weeks after your baby is born may feel like an uphill struggle, but after these initial rocky periods, things will naturally settle and calm down, and you will find a routine that is well suited to you and your baby.

Create a Care Schedule

Now you have had your baby; you cannot look after your parents in the same way or manner as you did before, perhaps not even the same as when you were pregnant. Creating a care schedule, and sharing the workload between yourself, other family members, and even care professionals will ensure that your parents receive consistently high levels of care and support at all times.

Create a Support Network for Yourself and Your Elderly Parents

As a new parent and as a caregiver, you need to know that you have support readily available. Reaching out to care professionals, family members, and loved ones is what you need to do. Having people you can rely on and turn to, even at the last minute, will take the weight and burden off your shoulders. Even having someone to speak to can help you get through the most challenging times, so never underestimate the importance of building a strong support network.

The Many Faces of Addiction: Why it's Hard to Ask for Help

Addiction is a complex and genuine problem, but it's also one that many people face in their lives. Addiction can be hard to understand, which makes it even more difficult for those who are trying to find help. However, it's important to know that there are many resources available for people who want to get help with addiction problems.

What is Addiction?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines drug abuse as "recurrent use of alcohol or other drugs despite ongoing social, interpersonal, psychological, financial and physical problems related to substance use." This is an overly broad definition, but one that encompasses addiction itself.

Why is it Hard for People to Seek Treatment?

Many people who want treatment face barriers before they can seek help. Whether these issues stem from the individual themselves or their environment makes them unable to get help on time. Some reasons people do not get the help they need to include:

• Lack of transportation
• Financial issues preventing them from getting professional treatment
• Not knowing where to seek resources for addiction problems.

Of course, these barriers are just some reasons people do not get into treatment. Everyone's story is unique in this way.

Different Treatment Options

There are many treatment options for people who want to get help with addiction. Some of these include:

Inpatient rehab facilities

Where individuals can stay and focus on their sobriety in a safe environment while they go through the recovery process, rehab facilities can focus on a range of treatments. These may be helpful if you have less control over your life because of family, or work, because you can focus on recovery with no other distractions.

Outpatient treatment programs

This allows those who want to get help to continue living their life as they work towards sobriety. These may be more helpful for people with intense schedules that prevent them from being away from home and family for an extended period.

Dual diagnosis treatment

Dual diagnosis is for those who are suffering from substance abuse disorder and other mental health disorders. These programs focus on treating the addiction problem but also on making sure that there are no underlying issues, such as depression or anxiety, which may cause substance-use problems to start with.

When it comes time to find out if you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, it's important that you are honest with yourself and your loved ones. If there is an addiction problem in your life that needs treatment, then the only way to get help is by being open about what that need may be.

Now that you have a better understanding of addiction and the diverse ways to get help, it's time to act. There are many options for treatment available, so find one that works best for your needs. If you're not sure where to begin or what type of treatment is right for you, read more on how someone can recover from addiction with the help of a trained professional. You deserve quality care; visit Impact Recovery's site (https://impactrecoverycenter.net/) to get started!

How to Prepare Your Home for Your New Baby

The nesting instinct to create the ideal environment for your newborn is real and natural. You may find that you have an overwhelming urge to clean every nook and cranny of your home, to redecorate from top to bottom, and invest in entirely new furniture. While there is nothing wrong with this if you have the time, money, and support network around you to help with the more physical tasks, be realistic about what is necessary and achievable. At the end of the day, as long as you and the baby are happy and healthy, the rest is window dressing. Here are some factors to keep in mind when preparing your home for your new baby. 

Make big changes early

The last thing you need to feel is unnecessary pressure to have a pristine ‘show home’ ready for your baby’s arrival. However, if you have been planning to invest in new living room furniture or upgrade your flooring for a while, now could be the perfect time to get it done. Just be sure to get major work done well before your due date to avoid last-minute stresses. 

Focus on the essentials 

Some people assume that their home needs to be a sterile and clutter-free haven to be safe for a baby, but the truth is that babies do not move until they are at least several months old. As long as you have nappies, clothes, feeding equipment, blankets, and somewhere safe and secure for them to sleep, you are ready to go. Ensuring all the essentials are organized will help you to stay relaxed in the early days and weeks so you can focus on getting to know your baby. 

Pre-cook and freeze some meals 

When you arrive home, you are likely to be tired and busy, so cooking may be low on your priority lists. However, it is also a good idea to eat as well as you can to ensure you have the energy and nutrition you need to be the best mom you can be. Before the birth, spend some time cooking, packing, and freezing homecooked meals that can be easily defrosted and heated as needed. 

Make sure you have a car seat

It may seem obvious, but if you do not have a car seat, the hospital is unlikely to discharge the baby. It is important to get a car seat that is the right size for your baby and that both you and your partner (or close family member) are able to fit securely. Click here for tips on choosing a car seat. 

Take it easy

You are probably going to have a lot of visitors in the first few weeks after your baby arrives. Usually, this might mean that you spend a lot of time on housework or making food, but this situation is different. You are perfectly within your rights to put your feet up and let others take the load for a while. If you need some alone time with your baby to recuperate and get into a rhythm before visitors start calling, ask people to wait a week or two. 

The Impact of Alcoholism and Addiction On the Family

It’s estimated that about 14.4 million people have alcohol abuse disorder, meaning millions of families are affected by this challenging illness. In addition to impacting the addict, alcoholism and addiction also impact families, especially if it's prolonged addiction. 

Children, spouses, and other loved ones can experience shame, depression, and anxiety due to alcoholism and addiction. Living with an addict can cause disruptive behavior, strained relationships, and tension, inflicting significant stress on the family unit. While it's possible for families living with alcoholics and addicts to seek support, it can have dire effects when ignored. Here's how alcoholism and addiction impact a family.

1. Impact on child development

Children who grow up in families battling alcoholism and addiction may experience complex, lifelong effects. It affects their opinion about themselves and relationships with families and friends. Children may have conflicting and complicated emotions like guilt, depression, anxiety, anger issues, embarrassment, confusion, distrust, and detachment. Teachers, friends, and other adults may notice personality and behavior changes, including constantly seeking praise and attention, being sensitive to criticism and feeling inadequate, impulsive or risk-taking behavior, and more.

Since children may have difficulties expressing how addiction impacts their lives, they may start looking for ways to cope, such as assuming parental figures for their siblings and taking on more responsibility. If these issues remain unresolved, they might manifest in their adulthood. Consider admitting the addicted loved one to a Substance Abuse Recovery center for treatment, then take the children for counseling.

2. Domestic abuse

Due to the behavioral effects of alcoholism, an addicted loved one may turn violent, especially to their children and spouses. People fighting addiction may result in emotional abuse, including insulting them, humiliating, and manipulating them. Alcohol abuse affects physical and cognitive functions, lowering self-control levels and behaving violently when frustrated.

3. Family finances problems

Alcohol isn't free, and when it becomes an addiction, people tend to spend more than they should. As the problem escalates, they begin spending all their income on alcohol and even start borrowing. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, causing addicts to act impulsively with their finances without minding the consequences.

Heavy drinking can affect work productivity, causing your loved ones to lose their jobs. With nowhere to get money to finance their addiction, they may steal, lie to get money or start drinking on credit. This can strain family finances, especially if the addict was the primary breadwinner.

4. Impact on spouses

Alcoholics often harm the ones they love. Living with an alcoholic spouse impacts physical well-being, social health and may also cause domestic violence. If the drinking partner isn’t satisfied in the relationship, they may assault the other. Infidelity accusations can also act as a violence trigger. The spouse living with the addicted partner may result in unhealthy coping methods, causing further harm to themselves. Some spouses may turn to substance abuse, overspending on shopping sprees, taking their frustrations out on the kids, or becoming promiscuous, causing even more harm to the kids and the entire family unit.

Alcoholism may also have lasting effects like trauma, the potential breakup of the relationship, estrangement between parents and children, separation, and divorce. Living with an alcoholic spouse may cause lasting effects like long-term financial issues, home or car loss, physical injuries, social isolation, poor physical health resulting from neglect, or feeling withdrawn.

5. Strained family relationships

Alcoholism destroys family relationships, with family members finding it difficult to create robust emotional bonds, express themselves, and be independent. It leads to more negative interactions compared to families not affected by addiction and alcoholism. The family of the addicted person may also feel neglected, leading to emotional and mental distress, especially for the kids and spouses.

6. Chances of increased addiction in the family

Living with an addicted or alcoholic family member can be mentally and emotionally draining. To cope with the situation at home, other family members may turn to substance abuse. Children who grow up in a family of alcohol and drug addicts are most likely to indulge in it, creating a generational pattern. This creates an intergenerational cycle of alcoholism, destroying the home.

7. Legal problems

When alcoholics result in stealing to finance their addiction or accumulate debts in the name of alcoholism, the family may be dragged into legal tussles. This not causes shame on the family members but also distress.

Endnote

Living with an alcoholic or addict requires courage, patience, and the knowledge to handle them. Talking to a professional, setting boundaries for the person battling alcoholism, caring for yourself, learning about addiction, and finding ways to help them recover can help you cope.

How to Build Your Own Custom Prenatal Workout Plan

Exercise has been proven to be a powerful tool for jump-starting weight loss, improving mood, and reducing stress. But if a person is not sure what they should do, This article is a comprehensive guide on building their own custom prenatal workout plan that will help prepare them for labor and recovery without feeling like too much of a challenge.

1. Choose a Diet That is Conducive to Losing Weight Before and During Pregnancy

People who want to lose weight during pregnancy should first consider how much they are trying to lose. This will help them determine if they need to cut their calorie intake by a large amount or if something closer to the recommended maximum daily intake is enough.

2. Determine Your Exercise Schedule

The amount of time that a person needs to dedicate to exercise will vary according to the physical job they have. If they work at a desk, they need to be careful with how much muscle mass they engage in daily. Even if the job does not involve any physical demands, some people want to stay fit while pregnant to keep their strength level up if the baby needs help.

3. Regular Exercise Makes Muscles Stronger

If a person wants to get a stronger grip on the tools they need, it helps work out their hands and arms. They can do this by doing simple exercises that use them like using a credit card to open jars. They can also do exercises that do not require their hands, like using dumbbells, such as performing bicep curls or leg raises. People who want to build muscle mass need to target body areas that will help them hold up during labor.

4. Protein is Essential for Replenishing Blood

To hold on during pregnancy, a person needs a sufficient amount of protein, which helps replenish blood. This means that the safest way for them to get enough is through eating meat. They should also make sure they get enough iron through their diet and vitamin A and calcium. When pregnant, the body loses blood faster, so they must be aware of their needed daily intake.

5. It is Best to Limit the Amount of Aerobic Exercise

To avoid damaging their bodies during exercise, women who are pregnant should limit how much aerobic exercises they do during a prenatal workout. While cardiovascular exercise is important, they should avoid doing it for too long or too strenuously. This will reduce the risk of exercise-induced injury, which can hurt their body during pregnancy.

6. Don't Skip Meals

During pregnancy, a person needs to keep the blood sugar level stable by eating small meals several times throughout the day. This is especially important during the evening and night when they are more active. If there are days when they do not have time to eat a full meal, they should still make sure they get enough protein. On those days, they should add more vitamins and minerals to their diets so that their body can still be alert.

7. Make Sure to Rest

Keeping the body and mind alert during pregnancy is important, but it is also important to ensure that they get enough rest. After each workout, a person should make sure they take a break for at least an hour. This can be done by doing something unrelated to exercise like reading a book or watching TV so that their brain will rest. This will ensure that their body can recover faster and prevent injuries.

8. Make Sure to Eat Enough

Even when doing light exercise, a person needs to make sure that they eat enough food. This will ensure that they have enough energy and feel full after eating. However, a person doing heavy exercise needs to make sure that they eat enough healthy foods. This will make sure that they will not feel discouraged by the amount of weight they have lost.

9. Get Enough Sleep

The average amount of sleep a person needs during pregnancy is six to eight hours a night. This is because they need to be well-rested when they are carrying a baby. The body also needs more rest during pregnancy since it is working hard to maintain itself and support the growth of the new life.

Getting a custom prenatal workout plan suited for their routine is one of the best things a person can do while pregnant. They should make sure to take each workout seriously and keep track of their progress so that they can get the most out of it.

How to Support Your Healthy Lifestyle in Ways You Might Not Have Considered

Being healthy isn’t always easy. While you might find that you regularly fall into good routines of exercising often and maintaining a healthy diet, sometimes it doesn’t take much for this to suddenly be in your rear-view mirror. When this happens, it can be difficult to get back on the wagon, and the cyclical nature of it can make the whole thing feel pointless.

It’s important to remember that the process isn’t an easy one, however, and the process of actively struggling to maintain the integrity of your new lifestyle is simply part of it. If you’re struggling, what you can do is to think of alternative methods of assistance that you might not have considered. Many people are doing the same thing as you, so there are many solutions to examine.

Consider Supplements

Sometimes, it’s not possible to get all of what you want out of a change in lifestyle simply from dietary changes alone, and you might find that it’s more convenient to consider enlisting the help of vitamin supplements. The form and specific aid on offer here will vary massively, so you have a wide variety of options at your disposal when trying to plan how they fit into your overall plan. Your first step should be to look at what exactly you want to get out of them and then go from there.

For example, if you’re looking to strengthen your immune response, as well as potentially your bone strength, you might consider researching the benefits of Vitamin D Spray. If included properly, this could be something that helps you out greatly, even when looking further beyond your current desire to be healthier and examining your health overall. It’s important to look after yourself, both when pushing yourself to improve and when simply maintaining your health.

Include Others in Your Regime

If you find that you struggle with keeping yourself focused and motivated, you might find it helpful to include someone on your agenda. This could allow the two of you to support each other when determination starts to slack on either end or could ultimately end up with a much smoother process overall. It might also serve to make the entire thing a lot more fun, as tackling this ordeal by yourself could sometimes feel as though you’re simply forcing yourself to do things you don’t want to do for the greater good, while with somebody else, it might feel more like an interesting challenge.

If you’re struggling to think of who you want to join you in this titanic challenge, your options are only limited by who you would want to include and who, in turn, would like to be included. Having somebody like a partner would be ideal, as the exercise could become activities that you do together and support each other in completing. Similarly, figuring out how to alter your diet and how you could both make meals that accommodates your new dietary targets could allow you to develop your culinary skills going forward.

Bicep Workout for New Moms

Everybody needs to stay fit and healthy to be able to get through our busy daily schedules. We all know that eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, and performing daily exercises will help us boost our immune system. This is especially important for new moms. 

If you’re a new mom, one of the regular exercises that you can do is to learn how to stretch your biceps. This is a beneficial workout, and it’s something that you can do without any equipment. Here’s what you can do to tone your arms:

Warm-Up

Before you start your bicep workout, you need to prepare your body by doing some simple warm-ups. You may walk around your living room for a couple of minutes for a light cardio workout. To increase your heart rate, you may do some jumping jacks for about 30 seconds, or you can do high knees also. 

Make some simple stretches as well to prepare your whole body for the biceps workout. It is important to do stretches to help increase your flexibility and range of motion, which will help you move with greater ease. Doing some stretching also helps relieve muscle tension and tightness that prevents injury and increases your performance.

Raise Your Baby High

You need to do a proper stance first to establish a good balance and prevent any accidents. Start by standing with feet hip-width apart and slightly bend your knees. Carry your baby by holding them below their armpits, near your chest. Lift your baby slowly above your head, try to keep the position for a few seconds, then lower your baby down back to the starting position. Repeat the process and do 12 to 15 repetitions.

Knee Push-ups With a Kiss

To get you motivated, rest your baby on his back on a clean mat or carpet. Position yourself into a raised and modified push-up position. Have your knees on the floor. Your hands should be slightly more than shoulder-width apart. With elbows bent out to the sides, lower your chest down to the floor. Upon reaching the bottom of the descent, kiss your baby, then push your body back up to the starting position and repeat. You may do 12 to 15 repetitions or do the set on your toes instead of your knees if you can.

Swing Your Baby

Your baby will love this workout. Position yourself by standing while holding your baby facing away from you. Carry your baby with one hand under his tush and place your other hand across his chest. Start swaying him slowly to the right, then bend your elbows at an almost 90-degree angle at the apex of the swing. Swing your baby again towards the left while curling your arms when you reach the apex. This move will help you bend your biceps and continue swinging ten on each side for a total of 20 repetitions. 

Triceps Dips With Baby

Start this workout in a sitting position with knees bent and feet flat. Carefully rest your baby on your upper thighs and make sure you get his attention so that he will face you. Both your hands should be behind you on the floor with fingers facing your back. Lift your body by straightening your arms and lift butt at the same time. Straighten your elbows, then bend them back again. Repeat the process for about 20 reps.

Before doing any strenuous workouts, it would be best to consult your doctor first before doing these activities to prevent any health issues. Ensure that you and your baby are not alone when doing this workout in case of an emergency. Have fun with this activity with your baby. 

Holistic Parenting: Tips & Benefits

Parenting is an incredibly challenging yet rewarding job. For those who are doing it for the first time, decisions about discipline, feeding, education, and socializing can be daunting to say the least. While parenting is often a skill that can be passed down through families, many are turning to alternative approaches that are more holistic and spiritually inclined. Below is a brief guide on holistic parenting and some tips and benefits to bear in mind.

What is Holistic Parenting?

Holistic parenting is an approach and a philosophy that recognizes the interconnectedness of a child’s (and family’s) physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Parents that choose to raise their kids in this way will attend to all aspects of a child’s development, rather than favoring cognitive development, for example. 

Holistic parenting also understands how our choices and actions are connected and how these impact on our health, well-being, and environment. Like most holistic activities, this style of parenting also embraces more natural approaches to health and diet and celebrates the autonomy of the child so that they can make the best decisions for themselves. 

Tip #1 - Learn to Let Go

While there are no set rules when it comes to parenting, traditional approaches can encourage parents to intervene immediately if a child makes a mistake or needs help during play. However, holistic parenting supports a more trial-and-error approach that allows the child to make mistakes and then figure out a way to amend them on their own. 

While a balance needs to be struck when it comes to assisting your child, research has shown that intervening too quickly or too often can be detrimental to their long-term coping skills. Learning to let go is thus about allowing your child more freedom to learn how to fall and get back up again.

Tip #2 - Make Informed Parenting Decisions

If you are new to holistic parenting, you will need to arm yourself with the options that differ from traditional parenting styles. In other words, being a holistic parent means making informed decisions about the welfare of your child in relation to the alternatives available. To make sure you are prepared for this new mode of parenting, conduct research on important areas including vaccinations, breastfeeding, nutrition, discipline, communication, baby care, and education. You need to make the best decision for you and your family. 

Tip # 3- Teach Your Kids to Care & Respect

While most parents will want to teach their kids how to respect others, a holistic approach can expand this to include areas such as the environment, nature, and the elderly. Teaching your kids these virtues early on will help them become caring, responsible adults. 

For example, you could take your kids out for nature walks and teach them to appreciate their surroundings and not take it for granted. Or you could take them to visit family or loved ones in retirement homes like Belmont Village to help foster a respect for the elderly. This will also introduce the concept of difficult decisions and focusing on the needs of others. Understanding this type of decision from an early age will help them to make similar decisions in the future either for themselves or for you. Taking them to these senior facilities will show them what elderly life is like and how holistic care can enable people to live healthy, fulfilling lives – rather than learning stereotypes from popular culture. 

Tip # 4- Promote Health & Wellness

Being a holistic parent also means promoting and practicing health and wellness. This includes healthy eating, staying active, encouraging relaxation and mindfulness, and being aware of and minimizing toxins in the living environment. Where possible, make healthy eating a fun activity and get out with your kids so that they learn to be active from a young age. It is also important to teach your kids about the importance of slowing down and taking time to rest so that they are better able to deal with stress. 

Tip # 5 - Spend Time Getting to Know Your Kids

Being a busy parent can often mean you have very little quality time with your kids. But as a holistic parent, it is important to sit down and really get to know the unique behavior patterns, temperaments, attitudes, and thinking styles of your kids. By understanding and recognizing their talents, ambitions and habits, you can encourage their strengths and assist them with any weak areas. Getting to know your kids on this level also means you have an opportunity to discourage any negative habits or mindsets.

Tip # 6 - Implement a Nurturing & Caring Approach

What parent does not want to be nurturing and caring? When it comes to holistic parenting, this approach applies to things such as discipline, communication, attachment practices, and more. It is important to try to implement a nurturing approach in the household, rather than one that is based solely on rules and discipline. While boundaries are important, creating a foundation of caring support will go a long way towards a happy and healthy family life.

Tip # 7 - Become Democratic

In traditionally strict households, kids are often given rules and are expected to abide by them without question. However, a holistic parenting approach is more democratic and provides an opportunity for the kids to be involved in family decisions. Research has shown that kids who are raised more democratically have better social, academic, and psychological outcomes. By treating your kids as important members of the family and allowing them to express their opinions, you encourage communication, openness, and confidence. 

Tip # 8 - Encourage Your Kids to Trust Themselves

It can be tempting as parents to correct your kids and tell them the best way of doing things so that they are successful later in life. However, too much of this kind of parenting can lead kids to lose confidence in themselves. As a holistic parent, try to encourage your kids by giving them positive affirmations. Phrases such as “I knew you could do it” or “you have all the answers you need inside” can go a long way towards fostering healthy self-esteem. Conversely, telling your kids they are wrong or that you know better can lead to weakened coping skills and feelings of low self-worth. 

Tip #9 – Teach Them the Value of Money

It is important to teach your kids the value of money from an early age. This includes teaching them how to save, how to differentiate between wants and needs, and the importance of working to earn. As part of this, teaching them to delay gratification and to save up their own money to buy something they want are all incredibly valuable.

Stay at Home Mom Depression

Stay at home mum (SAHM) depression...the elephant in the room that nobody talks about. 

I mean, how dare you complain after being gifted this opportunity to stay at home and raise your own kids? 

But it's not that simple: of course we SAHMs are grateful to stay home and raise our young, but that is literally all we have become. 

No one talks about the isolation. 

No one talks about the loss of identity. 

No one talks about the loneliness. 

No one talks about losing your sense of self. 

No one talks about how you had to give up your career because it's cheaper for you to stay home. 

No one talks about how you cry in the shower because your day was overwhelming. 

No one understands why you're tired. 

No one understands why you're irritable. 

No one understands why you need a mental break. 

No one understands why you're so aggravated with your kids or your spouse. 

No one understands why, after you've been home all day, the house is a wreck still. 

No one understands why you just need 5 minutes with no one speaking to or touching you. 

No one understands why you've lost your sex drive. 

No one understands why you're completely and utterly exhausted, after all, you just sit at home all day. 

No one understands the feeling you have when you are told you don't have a "real job." 

Most of us were working women at one point. We got to go to a job and interact with other adults outside our home. We contributed financially to our household. (Shoot, most of us want some kind of side hustle or part time job because it would sure help with financial relief.) 

We didn't feel like an endless maid. We got that break away (even though yes, work is a love/ hate relationship) that gives you space from the people you live with (children, spouse, etc.) because yes, every relationship needs time away in it to not go crazy being around each other 24/7. That's not healthy. 

Contrary to popular belief – you need a break daily. I can't tell you how many women I meet or know that say, "Oh, you have too much time on your hands... I sure wish I could stay home, I wouldn't complain." Good for you! I can guarantee you will change your mind 6 months in, unless you're wealthy and have money to constantly go do things. 

I once was you. 

I wished upon a star that I could stay home with my kids because I wanted to spend all the time I could with them. I didn't realize what all came with being a SAHM. 

Oh, but you chose to have those kids. You should've thought about that before having them. If you didn't want to go through all this you should've never had kids. And you said you want more? Seriously... Heard those all before. 

Next time you hear or see a SAHM venting her frustrations, listen and make her feel like she's somebody. That her struggles are not invalid. If this is you momma, please reach out and seek help to ease your pain, if even a little.

originally posted at Momma's Tired

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