“We meet Mom’s and Dad’s from Africa, Singapore, Sweden, England, Saudi Arabia, all over the United States and the long list goes on! Even though each of these cultures and languages may be different, one common theme remains, the majority of our parents are feeling tired and they are pressuring themselves regularly. Pressuring themselves to help their children on the autism spectrum, pressuring themselves to keep their house in order, pressuring themselves to teach their loved one’s about The Son-Rise Program®, pressuring themselves to do enough playtime with their special child, pressuring themselves to deliver at work, pressuring themselves to give enough attention to their other children and there are many other reasons. This pressure can create a feeling of burnout and exhaustion for many parents. Leaving most feeling unmotivated and unsure if they have enough energy left to offer others. Can you relate to this?
“If you can relate, we want to remind you to take care of yourself today! It can be easy to stop feeding yourself with loving actions. Especially when you are jumping from one errand and responsibility to another. Ask yourself, ‘Am I creating enough nurturing moments for myself? Moments that are peaceful, relaxing. and enjoyable.’ If your answer is ‘no,’ do something nurturing for yourself today! Go out for a relaxing walk before doing that laundry. Take 30 minutes to call a friend that you love before taking that trash out. Sit in the sun and breathe before rushing off to that 2-hour meeting. Leave those dirty dishes in the sink and go to bed early. Put those bills down and read a few pages of that book next to your bed. It does not matter what you choose to do, it only matters that you schedule in time for yourself. No matter how fast-paced and busy your day is! You and everyone else in your life will benefit from it. You will have more energy, you will feel more relaxed and you may even find your long list of errands more enjoyable. You matter, so prioritize yourself today!”
Written by Becky Damgaard, Senior Son-Rise Program Teacher