Many things come together to build what we call “emotional wellness.” For parents, this is particularly true. Throughout the daily grind and highs and lows that come with raising children, parents need many things to fall into place in order to maintain a feeling of balance, well-being, and confidence.
While healthcare professionals and postpartum experts unanimously champion SLEEP as a priority for parents, there is something to be said for missing just a few minutes of rest in favor of restorative AWAKE time.
The Morning Reset: “Claiming the House”
Our own Krista Post often recommends—particularly to mothers of young (needy!) children—waking up before the little ones. She calls it “claiming the house.”
Think about it. When woken from a deep slumber by a cry or a tap on the shoulder—Mommy, I’m hungry!—you are thrown into the fray with a racing heart, sleep-smudged eyes, and a feeling of scrambling to get ahead of the day.
Waking up even fifteen minutes before the kids may mean that a day starts instead with:
- Bare feet on the cool patio, taking in the trees
- Enjoying (rather than gulping down) that morning cup of coffee
- A quiet moment of deep breathing and intention-setting
Proactive emotional wellness, if you will.
Reclaiming the Evening
A similar sense of ahhhh can be found at the end of a long evening—dark chocolate, a favorite TV show, even taking a moment to admire a freshly mopped floor. Reclaiming the house, if you will.
From the moment she gives birth, a new mother is told to “sleep when baby sleeps.” But where’s the fun in that? Free time should mean more than cat naps, missed emails, and paying bills.
Instead, find joy in:
- Self-awareness
- A quiet place to cry
- Fuzzy slippers
- A brief moment when ALL of the toys are picked up
Fifteen minutes of solitude—awake, but off duty.
For more insights on emotional wellness and self-care in parenthood, visit PHAwellness.com.