A really great thing has been happening on the internet for some time now. People are being open and engaging in conversation about mental health! Even in my own home, I can talk to my parents about seeing a therapist without them looking at me crazy! As a mom, this is so important to me because the juggling of my many roles in life can often times cause feelings of anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed; even more so since the start of social distancing. To help, I do partake in self-care activities such as going to the nail shop or the spa alone, meeting up with a friend, and even talking through my feelings with my husband. These activities help, but when my schedule doesn’t permit me to have alone time, I partake in activities with my children that can also contribute to better mental health for both of us. Here, I’m sharing three activities any mom can do with their child as a mechanism to focus on self-care.

Play With Your Child

Sitting on the ground of my kids game area and engaging in whatever game they are doing is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. Sometimes, they have me play a role in one of their make believe activities. Other times, all my children like playing chase in our foyer while they wait for dinner to be ready. Spending a few minutes in their chasing game is so much fun for me and it also makes the game more enjoyable for them. I know as busy parents, we don’t always have time to play with them, but taking 10 minutes out of your day to just fully engage in whatever activity they are doing can do so much for our overall feelings for the day, as well as for them.

Share a Favorite Snack

I’ll be the first to say that I’m one of those moms to tries to keep all kinds of sweets away from their kids. I don’t keep candy, chips, or soda in my house for regular intake. I allow my kids to go trick-or-treating every year for Halloween, however we only allow them to eat one piece of candy and then we throw the rest away (or hide it for myself… lol). But once in a while, I’ll share a sweet with my children just to enjoy it together. I think the fact that they don’t have sweets often, helps in making those moments more precious for us and an effective self-care activity.

Have a Conversation With Your Child

Sitting down and talking to your child while they are having your full attention is so vital not only to being a self-care activity but to the development of your relationship with your child. Whenever I want to sit and talk with my children, I take them somewhere where I’m not looking at my phone and they’re not distracted by the tv, toys, or anything going on in our surroundings. I like to ask them questions about their day or school and make sure the conversation is about them. And yes, I do this with the little ones too. Even though they can’t talk yet, I know that having conversations with them helps them get closer to being able to talk.

There are so many activities that you can partake in that contributes to your self-care, as well as your child’s self-care. What are some activities you do with your children?

Until next time,

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