Take Care of Yourself

Taking care of your kids is always a priority.  No matter what their age or what their needs are, you are there to take care of them.  As a mother, father, aunt, uncle or grandparent, you do your part to make sure your child's needs are met.  But, do you ever take a moment to take care of yourself?

It’s something we all need to do.  And it’s not a luxury, but a necessity. Too often, we put off taking care of ourselves to take care of others.  A delay in caring for our own health and well-being will not help improve any situation.  In our daily lives, with our jobs, schools, and children, we can get so stressed that we become overwhelmed.  Monitoring ourselves in maintaining or reducing our stress level is important.  As we all know, life stops for no one, so here are a few ideas for things you can do to create mini respite sessions for yourself.

After school therapy sessions can add up to hundreds of hours every year for some families.  You can use some of your waiting time as a break.  Depending on the length of time you have available, you might take a nap or call a good friend.  When did you last take time to just sit and have a cup of coffee?  How about a walk in a park or even around the block?

More formal respite opportunities are often found through local faith-based organizations or community groups.  Quite a few organizations provide mother's day out programs.  They are designed to give parents a few hours of alone time, while your child is well taken care of in a safe environment.  These organizations often also provide respite programs once a month or even more often.

You can also find monthly respite opportunities like Children's Association for Maximum Potential's Respite Club.  Some opportunities include Weekend Respite Camps, Teen and Adult Adventure Camps and Parent's Night Out.  Visit their website for more information. 

Take a look at Take Time Texas, a website from a state agency which provides valuable information about respite and offers a searchable database of respite providers.  Don’t forget to search our Find Services, Groups & Events page for more services in your area.

Explore the options that are available, or create your very own.  Taking care of your health and allowing yourself to recharge when you need it is important for both you and your child.   You’ll all be glad you did!