Just For Moms
"When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." - Sophia Loren
Mommy Burnout - 6 Ways To Lose It
By: Carrie Lauth
Feeling burnout as a Mom is very common. It does not mean that you are failing as a Mother. It's mostly due to the isolation that a lot of Moms face in our culture, as well as the over scheduling and overwork that a lot of us deal with.
Here are 6 things you can do to prevent burnout and treat it if it comes up.
Find your tribe
Find a support group of like minded Moms. There are neighbors, people you worship with, family, moms at story time, the park, or anywhere else moms hang out. It's extremely important for moms to have a social network. Talk about your feelings with someone who won't judge you, and return the favor. Spend time with good friends, and don't forget to nurture your relationship with your spouse.
Set boundaries
Setting good boundaries isn't just about limits with your kids. Boundaries are something that protect you from being overburdened with other people's responsibilities. Learn to say no to things that don't honor your values, and don't overextend yourself.
Lose the guilt
Don't feel like you're a bad mom because you feel burnout from time to time. In fact, you are probably a very conscientious mom who is neglecting her own needs! Be as forgiving and empathic with yourself as you are with your kids, and remember, when you take care of your own needs, you're in better shape to care for your family. It's kind of like when the flight attendant tells you to put on your own oxygen mask first in case of emergency!
Take care of your body
Eating poorly leads to fatigue and stress. Nurture your body with healthy foods and avoid excessive caffeine and sugar, which only deplete you. Exercise is also very important because it helps you deal with stress and floods your body with endorphins, the "feel good hormones". Don't make excuses! Get moving for 20 minutes a day. It doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Exercise is also good for the kids because it helps them discharge excess energy that they may have from being inside too much. Spending some time every day in the sun is also a good idea. Sunlight improves mood and helps you sleep better.
Take a break
Nurture yourself every single day in small ways. Take a hot bath by yourself. Go outside for a few minutes and breathe deeply. Say your prayers, journal, pursue a hobby that you love. Even if all you can do are 5 minute increments, take the time!
Focus on what's truly important
If you're feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself that the most important things on your to do list are your children, not the dishes or the dusty blinds. Put everything aside for 15 minutes and just play with your kids. Have fun, laugh together, spend time in nature together, and enjoy life.
The rest can wait. Kids have a way of growing up despite us. And keep hugging those babies!
Carrie Lauth and Jen Houck want to help other Moms avoid burnout and have more fun every day with their kids. To get your free report, go to www.MommyBurnout.com
Mommy Guilt and How to Stop it
By: Aurelia Williams
Mommy guilt is one of the most common feelings mothers go through at some time. Moms will feel guilt for not being able to provide the very best for their children. This makes them see themselves as inferior at being a parent as other moms. Just remember that you are not alone. There are many other moms who go through the same thing. Here are some ways to help combat the mommy guilt before it takes over your self esteem.
Be nice to yourself – Every mom has experienced a moment, when raising their child, where something happened to them that made the mom feel like it was their fault. This is probably one of the most popular forms of mommy guilt ever. Your child falls and bruises their knee; your immediate reaction is to berate yourself as a mother.
“I’m a terrible mother,” is how it usually begins. Be kind to yourself, because you are a good mother. Things will happen with your child and no matter how hard you try to provide for the safest environment possible, things will still happen. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad mother.
Release the need to control everything - Remind yourself that you are not in control of everything that happens to your child. A part of growing up is learning from mistakes. The harder you try to keep them from everything bad out there, the harder they will ultimately fight you on it.
Even though you are an involved parent and see after your child, there is no way you can prevent some things from happening. Just spend that energy on being there for your child to help them through life and not try so hard to control it.
Trust yourself - You are the best person for the tough job called ‘Mommy’ to your child. Don’t second-guess yourself. When your intuition says that your child shouldn’t be doing something; then learn to trust it and stand firm. Don’t give in just because you don’t want them mad at you. Your internal leads are there for a reason.
Don’t cave in to guilt trips - Kids like to take their parents down guilt trip lane. We all want our children to have and do whatever they want, but it’s not always the safest or best thing for them. When you make a decision, stick to your guns.
Don’t allow others to influence your parental decisions - It’s typical for other parents to offer unwarranted advice. While it’s nice to receive other’s opinions on something about your child, you are ultimately the one who will need to make the decision. If you are faced with this kind of circumstance; clearly tell them that you appreciate their opinion and will keep it in mind, but don’t let them influence you too much on your decisions.
You know your child, better than anyone, so you are the one that will know what’s best for them. All parents as well as kids make mistakes, so it’s important not to let yourself doubt your mothering abilities. You’re raising your kids the best you can, so it’s time to start believing in yourself.
Are you a mom looking or a little support? Aurelia Williams is a certified life coach and owner of Real Life Guidance. Visit today and get the support and guidance that you need. Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com
5 Time-Killing Habits all Moms Want to Avoid
by Heather Reider
1. Skipping breakfast. You wouldn't send your kids off to school with an empty tank. Why would you start your day without any energy? We know you're on the run trying to get everyone out the door in the morning but smoothies, protein bars, yogurt, fruit, a whole-grain waffle all are easy options and will keep you going.
2. Thinking you have no time. If you think it, you're right. If you keep telling yourself you don't have enough time in the day you'll never have it. Change the way you talk to yourself about time and you'll find time will start working in your favor.
3. Surfing the Internet. If you work at the computer or find yourself at the computer for hours in a day, be sure to take a break every 10 to 15 minutes. A little break will help break that online trance.
4. Starting the day without a plan. Write down your daily goals the night before. Waking up with a clear idea of what needs to happen in the day will help you get more accomplished.
5. Grocery shopping and running errands without a list. Writing lists and keeping them with you will help you save time and money.
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