PARENTING STRESSBecoming a parent certainly is a life changing event. Although bringing up children can be a joyful experience - there's no denying that it can also place huge amounts of stress on you as a parent. Some find ways of dealing with parenting stress by "getting away from it all" - such as a visit to see a friend or play a game of tennis to release the tension. However, being a parent is a full time job and it's not always possible to take time out in this way. Luckily, there are several ways of dealing with stress that actively involve your children - and so are much easier to apply to your day to day life. You'll also probably find that by enjoying time with your children while simultaneously lowering your stress levels will deepen your mutual bonds and strengthen your relationship - which sounds like a good thing all round! Once your child is old enough to walk, you'll likely find yourself constantly watching out for them as they use their seemingly unlimited energy to explore both their environment and their own physical skills and potentials. This can sometimes be draining of the parents' energy and a factor of stress, but why not use the situation to your advantage? Harness their energy and curiosity by taking them to a safe place such as a park or the open country, and join in with their games in the sunshine and fresh air. Exercise is a proven parenting stress-buster, and outdoor fun with your kids is probably more enjoyable than a gym workout, and almost certainly less expensive! Artistic expression is good for your child's development, and also good for the parent's soul. Join in with your child's painting sessions, let yourself go, and get as covered in paint as he does. You might not create a masterpiece, but you'll have fun together and this small reversion to your own childhood can provide relief from your adult world. In a similar vein, music can be another great aid in the battle against stress. Maybe the most obvious way of using music is to choose something mellow and relaxing. This is unlikely to appeal to your child as much as it does to you, and so is perhaps best left until after they're in bed and you can listen in peace. A better choice is a piece of music that has energy and encourages dancing. Your child will need no encouragement to get down and boogie, but maybe you will - try it - let yourself go a little - jump around a bit - and you can both laugh with each other and at yourselves. If you're still feeling stressed - then head for your child's toy box and choose the noisiest toy you can find. A drum would be ideal! Let out your pent up frustrations by making a total racket - your child may be bemused at first but should soon enter into the spirit of things. One thing to keep in mind though, is that this last activity is perhaps best conducted in your own home, away from the eyes of those who may not quite understand! While home with children, you could do like many others and start a home based business. I use a web building company that really knows how to get targeted traffic to a web site. |