If your pre-pandemic life was mostly a blur, then you’re not alone. For a lot of parents, life was committed to school runs, commuting, working, after school activities, baths, dinner and homework. A lot of parents felt as though they never had a work-life balance or spent enough quality time with their families. Then, as the pandemic hit, many parents were forced to reevaluate their day to day life and get used to a whole new way of life. Whilst life still felt hectic and stressful, it allowed parents to grow and learn a lot about the way they parent their children. With this in mind, here are 3 parenting tips to keep in mind once the pandemic is over.
Say No More Often
Pre-pandemic, your family likely had a hugely busy schedule, whether your weekends were filled with activities, family gatherings, shopping, parties or trips, you probably spent a lot of time away from the house, thinking you were spending quality time with one another. Saying “no” to plans was probably something you didn’t do very often and, if you did, you probably felt guilty for it.
Once the pandemic hit, saying no became a go-to response for many parents who not only wanted to protect their family, but just wanted to continue enjoying a new and relaxed way of life. Your family is probably enjoying a slower pace of life which isn’t over-scheduled and is more aligned with your family values. Don’t be afraid of telling your children no more often too, especially when it comes setting boundaries and discipline as we navigate life out of lockdown.
By saying no more often, you’re dedicating more time to your family and allowing them the time to rest and relax after a week at school or work, rather than piling on more plans and things to do, which they could probably do without.
Ask For Help
Like many parents, being an involved parent means taking the brunt of most of the workload when it comes to your children. Feeling tired, overwhelmed and burnt out were common feelings for many and that’s simply because they were afraid of asking for help and support. Once classes went virtual and working from home became the new norm, many parents weren’t prepared for this sudden shift and change in their day to day schedules.
A lot of people struggled with the almighty balance between work and their children’s homeschooling and this led to a lot of feelings of frustration. A lot of parents found it hard to admit they needed help after being used to juggling everything themselves. As we come out of the pandemic, don’t be afraid to ask your partner, parents and friends for help as and when you need it to avoid risk of burnout.
Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
Now that things are slowly returning to normal, pre-pandemic life, a lot of parents are choosing to stick to the more relaxed way of life they have become accustomed to. This isn’t surprising, as many have realised just how stressful their lives were and how much more relaxed they’ve become. A lot of parents learnt to live with and deal with small things that once caused angst and irritation.
If your children have dropped some cereal, then instead of getting stressed out dealing with it whilst juggling a million other tasks, simply ask them to help tidy up the mess. If your little ones love making a mess at mealtimes, invest in weaning bibs to reduce the clean up operation afterwards and use baby washcloths to quickly wipe down mucky faces and hands. Some things aren’t that big of a deal and our way of reacting to them previously was likely down to being overworked and stressed. Now, simply take a breath and look at the best way to deal with the issue.