Signs Your Stress Is Impacting Your Parenting

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Are You Way Too Stressed?

We all feel stressed sometimes, but on occasion, our stress levels hit toxic highs. This is when we need to do some serious stress management to get our lives back on track. Stress physically depletes us and emotionally tears away at our sanity and mental resources. When you are a parent, this means your children are the lucky recipients of your stress load, which is a very bad thing. This isn’t meant to make you feel bad as a parent; we all overheat and deplete ourselves from time to time. However, stress becomes a huge problem when we don’t use good stress management skills and self-care to get ourselves through. Sometimes sadly, we don’t even realize that our own stress is taking a toll on ourselves and everyone around us. How do you even know if you’re stressed out?

 The Negative Symptoms of Stress

Here are a few symptoms of stress, both mental and physical symptoms:

• low energy– frequently fatigued
• stomach upset– indigestion, nausea, etc.
• insomnia or disturbed sleep (waking frequently; taking a long time to fall asleep)
• depression and lack of enjoyment in regular hobbies and activities
• tense jaw
• decreased sex drive

Signs Your Stress is Impacting Your Parenting

Do you find yourself giving into your children when it comes to discipline because you’re too tired to manage?

Do you find yourself blowing up at your kids, frequently irritable and moody?

Are you retreating emotionally and playing with your children less? Do you find yourself unable to schedule outings or playdates because it seems like just “one more thing” to add to your list?

Have you stopped talking to friends or family?

Are you and your spouse at odds with how one or both of you is parenting?

Are your kids anxious or hesitant to approach you?

If you answered to yes to a few or many of these things, it’s a sign that your stress management skills may be poor.

How do you improve your stress management skills?

Why not try:

1. Yoga
2. Meditation
3. Exercise– at home, the gym, etc.
4. Taking twenty minutes at the beginning of each day for deep breathing and stretching
5. Having a quiet corner to retreat to when you feel like you can’t handle properly disciplining your children
6. Therapy
7. Joining a virtual social media support group or even better, an in-person one!
8. Asking for help

The last suggestion is the hardest: asking for help. However, you are not an island and it truly takes a village to raise the kids and help the parents. Build your support team and watch as your stress reduces greatly.

And remember: we are all trying our best. Be good to yourself!

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