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While they say parenting is a demanding and a challenging job, a mother’s role is undoubtedly much tougher. Most of the times, she becomes the sole provider for her kids – emotionally and physically.
From the moment her baby arrives in the world, whether a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, her entire day revolves around doing tasks for her children.
From chasing her kids around to getting going with their daily schedules to preparing meals, from cleaning up the mess at home to attending PTMs to the endless laundry, teaching them important life skills to exercising the best of strategies of her parental skills, she is involved with them each minute, throughout the day, leaving her little time for herself.
The situation that we often see these days at home is that we mothers are so involved in taking care of our families, work, and societal demands, that we often start to suffer on personal and health fronts. Stress, anxiety and guilt are our constant companions. Physically and emotionally drained, making an efforts to attend to the world’s demands gets overwhelming.
And as they say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup, so fill yourself first”.
So the answer is simply found in “Self care first”. As human beings, mothers need to relax and run a bit slow, so that they are able to enjoy their role as mothers better. It is only when mothers are able to take out time from their rushed schedule and spend that time taking care of themselves, that they will be in a better frame of mind. And when mothers are relaxed and happy, they will be able to spread more happiness around.
Moms include these in your lives:
A walk and exercise regime is essential. By doing so, you will be in shape, you will be able to maintain your energy levels and also the quietness around will help clear your mind of clutter & stress. Morning walks, Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and meditation – Pick any one which you like but get moving. Having a little child t home is no excuse for not going on a simple walk since babies enjoy nature the most.
Still Need more motivation: If you still need some motivation, here is a reminder to the face that exercise helps in reducing cortisol that further reduces stress and clears anxiety. So put on your shoes and step out.
It is essential to get the right nourishment into your body. While there is no second opinion that your kids need to eat healthy foods, it is true for your own body too. Also there is no substitute to water – keep your body well hydrated and well nourished goes a long way in maintaining a healthy energy through out the day that does not let you feel tired easily.
Still Need more motivation: Your eating and drinking routine is an important parental skillto get your children into correct eating and drinking habits. Remember, kids watch you, copy you and learn from you.
Lack of sleep is one of the key reasons to fatigue which then leads to mood swings, tempers and in the long run to weight gain, depression and even long-term diseases like diabetes and heart related problems. So work on getting apt amounts of sleep even during an afternoon if nights are difficult.
Still Need more motivation: Sleep is the time when your body heals and recovers from any deviations. It is important for your immunity and energy.
Remember they are your best bet when it comes to talking things out and taking advices. They provide support, help boost your self-esteem, make you feel good and most importantly help you divert your attention from your motherly responsibilities. Meeting them once in a while, speaking to them regularly over the phone or chatting through social media – you can do any of these and more to maintain your friendships.
Still Need more motivation: Your friends help you find important things you would have lost on way – your smile, your hope, your confidence and yourself!
You can read, listen to music, sit out and appreciate nature, soak in a bath-tub or pursue a long-lost hobby or interest – this way your spirits are pepped up giving yourself reasons to smile and believe in yourself.
Still Need more motivation: Self-care is NOT Selfish!
This way you share your load while making the other person feel wanted. Don’t feel guilty of requesting others to help. By donning the role of a mother it is unfair to assume that you are a Superwoman and all tasks are your responsibilities alone.
Just like you would never let your children miss theirs. Neglecting your health in order to take care of your family is not a wise decision. Fix a proper schedule and go for your annual tests and shots without fail.
It is essential to move out of the home environment on a regular basis. Whether it is buying grocery or just to enjoy the sun, you need to be outdoors for a certain period of time to enhance your mood.
Go out for movies, dinners, walks or even a simple drive together. Let your friends or family babysit while you spend time with each other once in a while.
Don’t crib. Time flies by fast. If the room is messed up, it’s okay. Enjoy the reason behind the mess-up rather than focussing completely on getting it cleaned.
Be the Life-full Moms… Happy Parenting!
A version of this was first published here.
Image source: YouTube
Hi, I am Kushal Singhal. A Woman, A Mom to 2 lovely kids 13 & 6. Founder at Cafe Whiz. Grounded in Spirituality, A Life Long Learner & A professional Blogger. I am Passionate about shaping the read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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