Mental Health and Single Parents
By Rachel Shouse
The difficulty of single parenting is common knowledge. However, it's not something everyone can empathize with. These parents face a long list of problems on their own. The stress from all of their obligations makes them more susceptible to mental illness unfortunately. With a packed schedule, it can be difficult to find alone time. Below are some tips on getting some quiet time and also what you should be doing during that time.
Personal Mental Health Check
Being a parent is tough business and is surely not for the faint at heart. The number of problems you face in a day is infinite. The stress, racing thoughts, and constant multitasking that goes along with parenting on your own can cause mental illness. It's important that you know common symptoms that overlap multiple mental health conditions.
- Fatigue
- Loss of motivation
- Fear of something bad happening
- Insomnia
- Elevated mood swings
It's sad that so many people have to fight their way through these struggles. Now is the time to take advantage of telehealth. You would greatly benefit from opening up to someone. If you don't have a support system, let your counselor/therapist know. Getting an outside opinion can help unveil new and helpful ideas.
Self-Care With Children
This subhead will make parents giggle. How do they take care of themselves when they can't sit down and eat one hot meal? Taking a shower without being interrupted is a thing of the past. In order to help combat this struggle, let's discuss some simple and practical tips.
This tip is going to take some work, but it's very helpful. Teaching my younger children to play independently on a blanket helped me so much. I'd give my kids their favorite toys and set a timer. They grew to recognize the sound of the timer on my phone.
For your older children, give them some responsibilities in exchange for new privileges. Families have different rules and expectations for their kids, but the idea is rather general. Give your children extra chores, especially during the summer. If they do well, let them ride their bikes to the local library or give them some money for a treat at the nearest ice cream shop. Whatever you find acceptable.
Use Your Quiet Time Wisely
Take time to sit quietly. Call your family or friends. Check your social media. The sky's the limit. As an introvert, I love being home alone. A little social media scrolling never hurt anyone. Just be aware of the time you have. Nobody likes losing hours of time because they got distracted by their phones. Setting a timer can help prevent that from happening.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in New Braunfels, Tex.