April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Red River Children’s Advocacy Center (RRCAC) in Fargo is presenting this article as part of a 4-part series to help educate on child abuse prevention.
RRCAC’s mission is to facilitate healing and justice for victims of sexual and physical abuse, neglect and exploitation, and to engage the community to protect and support children.
Taking Care of Yourself
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
As caregivers, you do everything you can for your child. You want to protect them and give
them the world. Each day, you can feel so much: joy, stress, awe, anxiety, love, insecurity, pride, frustration. It’s important to show up for our kids, but some days it feels like you only attend to the needs of your child. Other days it feels like all you did was yell, correct behaviors, or lecture your child.
It’s important to show up for yourself.
We all need support some days. It is okay to ask for and accept help! Taking care of yourself affects your child’s well-being in a very positive way. You are showing your kids it is okay to take care of themselves when they feel stress, and setting an example for them.
Showing up for yourself is showing up for your kids.
Ways to Care For Yourself
1. Cut yourself some slack.
Maybe you let that pile of dishes in the sink stay there for one more day, or you don’t fold that basket of clothes. Let go of one thing for the day and don’t feel guilty about not doing that task. Instead, enjoy a pleasurable activity by yourself or with your kids.
2. Manage your self-talk.
It’s so easy to be hard on ourselves and create a negative narrative in our heads. Instead, speak gently to yourself as though you are talking to a friend. You can acknowledge the hardness of the situation, but also acknowledge your successes and that you are doing your best.
If a friend were in the same situation as you, what would your response be? Practice responding to yourself the same way you would respond to your friend.
3. Use some relaxation strategies.
Take deep breaths, put on music that feeds your soul, or go for a walk. All of these strategies provide you with a quick break to relax and recharge, so you can handle the next tasks.
Other Strategies
Create a support network, make time
for fun, exercise, journal about your feelings. Do something that is enjoyable for YOU!
Taking care of yourself does not have to be a big chore or a huge time commitment. You can do little things to alleviate those feelings of stress. You are setting an example for your kids when they see you taking care of yourself. Remember, taking care of yourself influences your kids in a positive way! So go do that one little thing that brings you joy and eases your stress.
More Resources on Child Abuse Prevention
- Red River Children’s Advocacy Center
- North Dakota Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Task Force
- Children’s Advocacy Center of North Dakota
