Nobody expects parenting to be as difficult as it actually turns out to be. There’s a lot to be taken care of, from making sure your children are well fed and protected to ensuring they’re always where they need to be right on time. With so much of your responsibility dedicated to other people, how do you then find the time to actually make sure your own life is as fulfilling as you’d like? One of the biggest complaints from parents is, while they’re happy being parents, they just wish they could sometimes have more variation in their life. But the truth is, you can. It just requires a little bit more work.
Seeing the World
It’s no wonder that one of the biggest regrets people who have children early in life have is that they didn’t travel more. In reality, having a child does not mean you can’t travel. Not at all, in fact! It’s slightly more complicated, but if you’re eager to travel then you can take your children with you. Take a look at websites like www.workaway.com and you can travel anywhere, without breaking the bank either. Alternatively, you can also look at solo travel experiences – let your partner take care of the kids for a week and tick off one of your bucket list dreams!
Pets in the Home
If you’re eager to create a loving home full of life, you’ve probably thought about getting a dog. But how can you find the time to look after a dog and your children? There’s no need to choose! For those particularly hectic days, look at dog walking services and you’ll be able to focus on your children confident that your dog is getting what they need too. At other times, include the pet as one of the family – we’re sure they’ll love the adventure of being part of a busy family life.
Those Nights Out
OK, try as we might, we can’t take you back to your party days of old, when the only consideration was where the next party would be, not when. Still, your fun nights out don’t have to come to an end just because you’re a parent! And we’re sure your fellow parents agree. That’s why you should organise group babysitting nights. You look after a few children one friday and let other parents go out. A few weeks later, you pack your kids off to a parent’s home and have a fun night out on the town.
A Fulfilling Career
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have a fulfilling career and be a parent. You absolutely can. And in fact, it’s getting easier than ever. With remote working and flexible hours becoming more and more common, there are plenty of opportunities to find a position that allows you to work hard on your own schedule so you can be career focused and the best parent you can be. If you’re particularly driven, look at setting up your own online business and take your future into your own hands.
Lazy Days
There’s a lot to take care of when you’re a parent, but it doesn’t mean you personally have to take care of everything. If you’re in a financially secure position, then you might want to explore the option of getting a cleaner. They can be surprisingly affordable and will free up much more time than you might imagine. If you know that your home is being professionally cleaned you’ll be able to spend an extra few hours sitting and reading or doing whatever it is you like to do to unwind. And you really can’t put a price on that!
Making the Most of the Local Area
Sometimes, it’s not so much about what your kids do but about where. The same goes for you. If you live miles away from anything of interest, then you’ll likely spend a lot of your time driving your children to a space where they’re able to have fun. However, if you live in a lively area that also has plenty of other children, it’s more likely that your children will be able to play out. Despite what the doom and gloom sayers tell you, it’s still perfectly safe to let your children play outside, especially when you live on a trusting street full of children playing out.
Enjoying the Small Things
You already know that being a parent is fulfilling, but sometimes it’s possible to enjoy it more than you realise. For instance, take the evening meal. You might think of it as a stressful time when there’s too much to do, but take the time to slow down and really appreciate what you’re doing and you’ll find that cooking might be more fun than you think. Additionally, there’s nothing quite like enjoying a quality meal with the family – so long as you make sure to pay attention to all that is good about it.
Letting Go
It is entirely possible that sometimes we, as parents, over think our roles. We imagine that anything less than absolute perfection will result in the breakdown of the family, but the truth is that we often worry about getting it right more than we actually get it right anyway. Learn how to relax at being a parent and you’ll naturally find that there’s less to worry about than you might think – and then you’ll find that your world is a little less crazy than you previously thought.
The Bigger Picture
Ultimately, your function, first and foremost, is to be a parent. That’s going to change. But that’s not all you are – far from it. In any case, if you’re struggling to find time for yourself right now, remember that you won’t always have the same level of chaos happening around you. Your children will grow up and you’ll have much more time than you do now, so try your best to enjoy it while it’s happening. When it’s gone, you’ll miss it more than you realise!