The Challenges of Practicing Self-Care as a Parent: A Q&A with Catherine O'Brien LMFT on PsychCentral

Ah, self-care. This is something that takes constant work to master. (Does anyone ever really "master" it?) Sometimes I'm great at it. Other times, not so much. And when I fall out of the habit, I have to bring my attention back to it (sometimes after my husband calls me out on it!) and work it back into my routine. 

If you haven't already noticed that our roles and methods as parents are constantly changing, you will soon enough. Babies and kids are great at keeping us on our toes! So, a little flexibility and forgiving ourselves can go a long way. This is also true for our self-care routines. 

Not only that, but it's so important to recognize that self-care is not just an indulgence--it's as vital as making sure our kids are fed. I can't emphasize that difference enough. It can make all the difference in our patience levels, in our ability to use good judgment, in our ability to simply enjoy being a parent. We can't give our best when we don't feel our best.

I was recently asked about this by Margarita Tartakofsky, MS for PsychCentral. In it, I talk about what works for me, how my partner helps me with it, and why self-care is so important for our children (not just ourselves).

What does your current self-care routine look like? How have you had to adjust your self-care to fit your lifestyle as a parent? 

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