When Kids Are Too Much & Never Enough

Let’s face it: Parenting is…complicated. You have these little people (or in the case of parents of teens — people who are probably taller than you), who have your mannerisms, who look like you, and who you would give your life for because you love them so dang much.

And also they can make you crazy at times. They push boundaries, they leave piles of crumbs and shoes in their wake, they make you feel touched out, and they need to be driven everywhere all the time over and over again.

But these things don’t make us love them any less — mama just needs a break. Amiright? 🤪 We can often feel like we have to spend all our time with them . However, it’s normal and HEALTHY to have space from them.

This week we look at that duality of being a parent— the times when you need to focus on YOU instead of everyone else, the times when you just don’t know WHAT to do with these people you’re raising, and the times when you hope they hang around even more.

Enjoy!

 This week in The CARRY™ ALL, we’re talking about:

• 💆🏼‍♀️At-Home Self Care Ideas for Working Moms 

• 📱Our favorite parenting accounts to follow on Instagram 

• 🎙️How to be the House Where ALL the Kids Want to  Hang Out

THE BIG 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣

1️⃣  💆🏼‍♀️At-Home Self Care Ideas for Working Moms

Self care is not selfish. 🤯 When we take the time to take care of ourselves, we can be there more fully for those we love. (If you’ve ever snapped at someone in your family because you’ve been stretched too thin, you know exactly what we mean.) Society might have you thinking that sneaking in that workout, nap, or manicure is selfish. But just like your kids, you need TLC too. The issue is that working moms don’t always have oodles of free time to go grab a massage. So when you know you need a reset, consider these easy options. A few that we think are awesome include:

• Eat FIRST (Yes this may seem revolutionary for a mom who is used to feeding everyone else before she even sits down. 😅)

• Journaling (Get all those thoughts out on paper, and consider focusing on gratitude — it works wonders for the psyche!)

• Commit to a nightly skincare routine and take your time (So even if you don’t have an hour for a professional facial, you’ll get a little treat before bed every night.)

• Sing loudly in the car (It’s basically immediate therapy. IYKYK.)

Have other go-to’s for self care? Let us know in the comments below!

2️⃣ 📱Our favorite parenting accounts to follow on Instagram

Just when you thought you’ve figured out how to really parent your children, they go ahead and enter a new stage of life and you’re thrown for a loop again. So it’s completely normal to feel like you’ve got no idea what you’re doing. Most of us are just winging it — especially with toddlers and teens. Instead of losing your 💩 when your kid tests yet another limit, take a deep breath and check out how others are handling similar sticky situations. We love these parenting accounts on Instagram — they range from licensed professionals giving their best advice, to other moms who just throw their hands up and have a little dance party in the kitchen when the going gets tough:

• Dr. Becky - Parenting coach and “support for parents of kids ages 0-18”

• Caitlin Murray (a.k.a. Big Time Adulting) - Mom of a cancer survivor who strongly advises that a snack will always make you feel better

• Busy Toddler - Helping you “make it to nap, one activity at a time”

• The Mom Psychologist - “No guilt trips, just practical support”

• Kristen Duke (Mentor for parents with teenagers) - “Get your teenager to TALK to you”

3️⃣ 🎙️How to be the House Where ALL the Kids Want to  Hang Out

Remember being a kid and having that one friend whose house was ALWAYS the place to be? They had the best snacks and the parents always made you feel welcome? When you have kids of your own, you realize just how incredible that experience was — and how nice it would be for your own house to be that place for your kids’ friends. (Especially since it means you’ll have your kids around more often!) Logan Wolfram joined our founder, Paula Faris, on her podcast this week to discuss just that: HOW to be the house that all the kids want to be at. Check it out!

📰 IN THE NEWS

The Future of Head Start, Plus The White House Wants Us to Have More Children

The White House is soliciting ideas on how they can encourage Americans to have more babies. Some proposals include “baby bonuses” and government funding for educating women about their menstrual cycles, per the NYT. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Also, The Trump Administration is asking Congress to eliminate funding for Head Start, as the administration seeks to overhaul education, returning control of education to the states and increasing parental control. Head Start is a federal program that aids over half a million of the nation's neediest children and provides child care for their families. It's unclear if the proposed cuts will be accepted by Congress. Read more HERE. 

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT 🤎

for working moms with older children

• This should come as no surprise, but teens need self care too. Between the grind of school and extracurricular activities, figuring out their changing bodies, and the stress of navigating middle and high school social groups 😣, they need to take care of themselves to ensure they’re feeling their best. When they practice self care, they’re better able to sleep, better able to handle stress, and can enjoy improved self confidence. Who wouldn’t want these things for their kids? Check out these self care tips for the teens in your life, like getting enough sleep, setting boundaries, and practicing gratitude.

• Fortunately for our kids, attitudes about food have shifted since we were young. (Remember the low fat craze?? Snackwells cookies, anyone?? ) We love this article focused on talking to your kids about food without giving it unhelpful labels. Instead, focus on variety, moderation, and listening to what our bodies need.