5 ways to nurture self-care in the throes of special needs motherhood
2 summers ago, I had received a disability voucher for my daughter to finally receive respite care inside our home so I could get a break. The state had continued to deny her disability benefits even though medically she had a neurologic brain injury from her strep infection.
After years of fighting it, I finally decided to opt to apply for private grants and see if we could get any help there.
I was dying on a vine and I knew I needed help to manage the day to day tasks, but I didn’t know where to turn.
I was doing the best I could to manage self-care, but honestly, the phrase “self care” was starting to leave a bitter taste in my mouth.
What is self-care when you’re dealing with a child who has meltdowns all day long and your only escape is the bathroom to pee?
Let’s chat about this because this is a very REAL problem for moms who have children with extraordinary challenges like mine.
How DO you do self care?
How do you manage to find time for yourself when you’re the only one who can seem to handle the daily care tasks for your child?
How do you find a sitter who can handle the intense needs without having to spend an arm and a leg on childcare?
There are very real obstacles to taking time for yourself and I hope this conversation allows us to take practical action even when it feels like it’s not enough.
It’s important to know that self-care can be anything that NOURISHES your soul, body or spirit. So that can be as simple as enjoying your favorite coffee from a coffee shop, taking a moment to wash your face when you would normally skip it and hop in bed, or binge watching your favorite show.
Self-care is anything that reminds you that you are WORTHY of being cared for.
Keep it simple: So many of us feel the pressure of having to eat well, work out, get alone time, and keep a clean house when we are utterly drowning. We have to recognize that we cannot do it all, and rest is essential. What is 1 habit you begin now that will allow you to pour into your own cup?
Try getting up 15 minutes before the kids so you can enjoy a cup of coffee or breakfast.
Grab a small cup of coffee (or decaf) on the way to your child’s therapy.
Bring a book to therapy appointments with you or download a fun game on your phone that is just for fun. Give yourself that time to relax and decompress and avoid using it to catch up on tasks.
Invite a friend or family member to watch your child for a length of time that feels like a break to you.
Need more ideas or want to share a suggestion?
Hop on over to the Wrapped in Kindness facebook community group HERE and share with the community!
