اضغط على الزر السهل: العناية الذاتية للآباء ومقدمي الرعاية

As a parent or caregiver, self care may not be on your radar as your daily to-do list may feel never-ending. Getting kids out the door is a Herculean task in its own right. Add in laundry, grocery shopping, household chores and the demands of work and it can seem like there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Earlier this year, we published a post, “Self-Care for Parents and Preschoolers”, with ideas on how to unwind and enjoy the little things with your child. Moments of self-care can also be about finding ways to take something off your plate, give yourself a break or simply make a little time for yourself. Here are a few ideas for hitting the easy button and making a little more space in your day.

6 Easy Tips for Self-Care for Parents

Here are a few self-care for parent ideas to hit the easy button and make a little more space in your day.

1. Outsource tasks – Think about the weekly task that takes the most time and energy, then find a way to take it off your plate. Ask a friend, neighbor or family member to pitch in, or outsource it when you can. That might mean getting your car washed and vacuumed at a gas station or local detailer, setting up a neighborhood carpool for school pickup or having your groceries or a meal delivered by a friend or a delivery service.
2. Go Solo — If most of your errands involve tiny humans in tow, you know that any alone time can feel relaxing even if it involves a bit of work. Set aside time each week to enjoy an activity or even a chore by yourself. Ideas that may work for you include enjoying a book or an episode of your favorite podcast or television show at a coffee shop, going for an afternoon walk in your neighborhood or nearby park,  treating yourself to a quiet lunch out, sneaking in a short power nap or browsing the aisles of your favorite shop.
3. Put in C-Level Effort — If you’re a parent, you’re likely familiar with the term, “work smarter, not harder” – practicing just that can give you back time in your day. This might mean buying cookies for a post-practice party instead of making them, putting on an afternoon movie for entertainment or letting your little one pick out their school outfit, even if it means mismatched socks or a princess tiara. Lean back, slow it down and take the perfection out of it. 
4. Divide and Conquer — Preschool-aged children can usually play with friends independently, which can help take some stress off you as the entertainer. Call one of your child’s friends’ families, head to a playground or nearby green space  and let the kids run wild while you put your feet up (even for just 15 minutes of uninterrupted time). Better yet, share the load and offer to watch a friend or neighbor’s child for an hour or two and then swap to give each other a break when needed. 
5. Simplify Decisions — Former President Barack Obama famously wore only black or blue suits, arranged with ties and shoes in his closet as a small way to minimize the number of decisions he made each day. Taking this cue, you might set out a few school outfits on Sunday for the entire week, pre-pack some lunch items to save morning time, prepare a bag of easy travel snacks for the morning or afternoon commuter for easy grabbing and less whining. Just one less thing to reach for, search for, unpack or decide. 
6. Give Yourself Permission — As a parent or caregiver, you do a lot. You hold a lot. You balance a lot. For yourself and for your family, you show up a lot. Give yourself permission to put your feet up, order pizza, watch a movie and hit the easy button any time you need it. Caring for young children is a fulfilling and also exhausting job, and everyone needs a break. 

When In Doubt, Keep it Easy

Denver Preschool Program is all about making things easier, especially when it comes to finding and affording preschool. Check out our كيفية العثور على مدرسة ما قبل المدرسة و Preschool Tuition Support pages. And, be sure to sign up for our bilingual monthly newsletter, Family Dispatch, for more ways to save on preschool, lower your stress and hit the easy button once in a while.