We know the crucial role mothers play in the well-being of children and the family as a whole. The question is do mothers know how important their own well-being is? As important as the role of the mother is in nurturing, raising the family and balancing all the many roles she has –Â Mums health and well-being should actually be at the top of the list.
A mother’s well-being is correlated with her parenting and the overall welfare of her family. These are a few of the amazing points we gathered from a very insightful session with Molade Adeniyi, one of the speakers at the 3rd Annual LagosMums Parenting and Networking Event #LMEvent2016.
Mums How To Ensure Your Well-Being
You Need Support of Other Women
Mums need support! You cannot do it alone successfully. Support of other women goes a long way, these are other women who will support you and build you up. Other women who you can call on when you need help, encouragement or a shoulder to lean on.
Celebrate Yourself
It is important – start doing things that are yours. Mothers need to learn how take a break and enjoy their own time. Reduce the anxiety and stop to celebrate yourself. Men tend to do it very well, they go out with their friends, they hangout – but mothers worry about a lot of things, worry about the kids, the home, the food etc. Finding time to relax and celebrate yourself is not just a luxury, it is a necessity. So find something you like to do and schedule the time to do it.
Once you surround yourself with that amazing support system you will find someone who will take the load off you, giving you the time to relax.
[Tweet “Reduce the anxiety and stop to celebrate yourself”]
Schedule Time For You
Schedule time for yourself, if you do not take care of yourself physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally it is difficult to give your best. So decide you need to do this and be deliberate about actually making the plans necessary. As you create personal time it will make you a healthy happier person.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle which includes physical activity such as a gym, a run or some exercise is important. If you need motivation from a group you can take up tennis or another sport with friends. It is important to have a physical activity that you enjoy as a way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Molade mentioned how she started netball with friends giving her a great way to exercise but also enables her to spend time with friends on a weekly basis.
What you Place Value on Is What You Do
Well-being really looks at the overall state of how you feel. Ask yourself how you are managing stress, do you feel that things are under control? How is your relationship with your spouse? Mothers tend to take some things for granted saying as long as the family is OK, I will take care of myself later. We take simple things like finding time with your husband for granted and then wonder why you are drifting apart…all these add to your stress. You do not want to look back over the years and ask yourself how did I get here?
You need to be deliberate about knowing yourself and finding the things that make your happy. Your children are going to grow up and leave the house one day, they won’t need you as much as they need you today – that is not when to start finding yourself. The time to find yourself is now!
So mums your well-being is very important. Make it a top priority.
