Caring for Your Health as a Single Parent
By Rachel Shouse
It's difficult for single parents to find time to take care of their own needs. Your kids have school, doctors appointments, sick days, field trips, rides to miscellaneous places, the list goes on. You may not have the time to make an appointment for yourself. Maybe time is so crunched that you struggle to eat a healthy meal. Caring for yourself has been put on the back-burner long enough. Educating yourself on the possible health risks that single parents experience can help you be more proactive. There are also ways to optimize your time with new time management skills. Lastly, a couple tips on keeping little ones busy.
Health Risks of Single Parenthood
The U.S. Census Bureau collected data on the number of single parent households in our country. We learned from that data that the United States had 10.4 million single parent households.
As a single parent, you're more likely to develop heart disease, depression, and anxiety. Your genetics are a factor as well. The reason more single parents suffer from these problems is because they don't have the time to take care of themselves. This isn't meant as judgment. It's meant to educate others on how help is badly needed right now.
Optimize Your Time
The phrase, "time is money" is so annoying. Time is more than money. It's a shower, a phone call, chores, the list goes on forever. Two parent of households struggle to get everything done. Completing a to-do list as a single parent is similar to a marathon.
You need rest. You need time to shower, brush your teeth, wash your laundry, etc. Some days are going to be crazy regardless. Looking at a list with any number of tasks on it can feel like a lot. Instead, separate your days into hours. If you're going to be at work for eight hours, fill that in. After that, you fill in the rest of your day by priority.
Keeping Little Ones Busy
Your kids have probably watched you clean the house and decided to behave like a tornado following right behind you. Keeping your smaller children occupied and safe is a very common struggle. I've learned a few things as a mother of four. One thing that I did was teach my children to play independently on a blanket. They get to choose toys and/or books. I'd set a timer and they had to stay on the blanket until they heard it ring. It takes work and consistency, but you'll appreciate it later on, I promise.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in North Richland Hills, Tex.