Mama Bear Self Care Back to School

BY JAIME MCFADEN

It’s that time of year when we are hitting the stores to get our kids school supplies and enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

This is also the time when we may feel a bit sad that the summer is coming to an end as we’ve just been getting into the flow of the nonscheduled routines. Or maybe you are reading this so excited to get back to your kids’ school routine - either way, there is a transition coming up and I want to share a big tip on preparing for this change as a parent to keep it smooth for our kids. Everyone talks about the village needed for our children, but what about for the parents as we evolve and keep everything together through the changing seasons.

Whether your kids are starting a new school, new class or phase of life - one of the most important things we can do for ourselves as parents is line up our personal village.

These are the people that will be around to support you through each shift. Take a moment right now to think about your village - who are the people you spend the most time with? Who are the friends you could call for support if you need it? Who are your friends that keep you active? Who are the one that distract you or add chaos to your life?

Taking social self-care into account is incredibly helpful this time of year as we get back into the swing of things. It is easy shifting from summer to fall to let all of our personal self-care go out the window because we end up spending all of our energy prepping things for our kids and forget about ourselves.

This is where the village comes in! Social support is one of the biggest markers for well-being in any society. The relationships we have and the people around us are certainly going to influence our behviors and routines.

Three things to keep in mind when it comes to HEALTHY social self care and curating you village this season:

Take inventory - literally go through your phone, texts, social media - make note of who you spend the most time with, watching or around and notice how you feel with them. Are there people in your circle who are lifting you up or more dragging you down.

As we shift into the end of summer - work towards cultivating a village that is supportive, encourages your growth and definitely loves your family! Taking space or setting boundaries with some of the friends who can be more distracting can be really helpful right now. Simple tip: Make a list of the people who FILL your cup - include them in your life more and pay it forward :)

Check in with what your family needs. Maybe you struggle with dinners or getting to your kids’ activities on time. As a busy parent, I have people in my village who are helpful in all sorts of areas. Learning to ask for help is a big one - as busy parents we tend to feel this need to do it all, but in reality - that’s not ideal. If we can work together with our village we can end up feeling healthier and happier. The hardest part is just asking. The people around you are sure to want to pitch in and help. And of course - be sure to offer help to those around you when you can. It’s a collaborative effort. Join a mom group or hire some help where needed, it will be well worth the investment!

Just say NO. It’s ok to hide away for an hour with your favorite beverage to take some much needed QUIET time. One of the toughest things parents find with self care is learning to make their own time a priority.

It might feel hard at first but even putting your kids in front of a good movie every once in a while, so you can get much needed solo time to prepare for the upcoming week can be actually very beneficial for the whole family. This is also a great time you can phone that friend or neighbor and drop the kids off for a bit to get organized.

Lastly, get the kids involved. Get to know their friends, activities and have them pitch in to build out the family back to school routines. Kick of nightly family dinner and family daily walks. There are social self-care activities your kids can help with at all different ages.

If you are struggling to find a supportive village - be sure to reach out! Join one of my weekly walks and I can support your curating your own self-care village. Enjoy the rest of summer and remember you are doing a fabulous job!