Parenting is a very blessed and rewarding journey, however, that's not to say it comes without its difficulties. Parental anxiety is something you may have to deal with. From tackling the unknown of the newborn stage, to dealing with toddler tantrums to addressing teenage woes. It's easy to see how anxiety can arise. It's important to not let it get a hold of you or let it take its toll on your mental well-being. The best way to deal with parental anxiety is to combat it early.
Here are some tips to try to help you nip any parental anxieties in the bud.
Prioritise Mental Self-Care
Prioritising mental self-care is crucial for parents. You could perhaps embrace some lifestyle changes to adopt a slower pace to life. Meditation, yoga and working on deep breathing techniques would be a great way to start prioritising your mental self-care.
Take a Break
As a parent, I can totally appreciate that the term 'take a break' is much easier said than done. In terms of anxieties, for example, if your toddler is throwing a tantrum or if you're in the midst of an argument with your teenager, sometimes the best thing you can do is to take a break. Stepping away, even just for a few minutes means you can reassess the situation and come back with a fresh, clearer mindset. By doing so you'll probably find the situation to have diffused and you can tackle the problem practically and efficiently.
Alter Your Perspective
Changing the way you see things can work wonders for your mental health. Again this is one of those 'easier said than done' things, but I think once you've cracked it, it's so beneficial. You may have parental anxiety over your child's grades or what school they're going to get into. Instead of worrying, you could alter your perspective to think a little differently about the situation. Perhaps you could help them choose their A Levels or assist them in revising. Thinking about your anxieties more practically could help ease them a little.
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Discuss Your Parental Anxieties
Bottling up stress and anxieties is a surefire way of making those worries worse! The best thing to do is release those anxieties, sooner rather than later. This could be in the form of speaking to family members or therapists, but it could also be in the form of journalling. Getting into the habit of journalling can be amazing for practising gratitude and getting things out in the open. Even if you're not ready for others to hear your anxieties yet. Writing down your worries releases any negative thoughts and gives a clearer mindset.
Have a Designated Worry Time
Having a designated worry time may help assist with your parental anxieties. This is one of those 'won't work for everyone' type things, but if it's for you, it could be really great! As parents, we spend so much time worrying, about the big stuff and the small stuff. Sometimes these worries can get on top of us and we feel like we don't really have much time for anything else. Switching off and giving yourself a designated worry time frees up the rest of the day for you to enjoy. For me, this is usually once the kids have gone to bed. Any issues we may be facing I try and tackle with a clear mindset once my girls have gone to bed and I'm free of distractions.
