I'm Penny Williams, and I'm a parenting coach for neurodiverse families like yours. I want to talk to you about being kind to yourself.
We have a culture of sacrificing ourselves as parents, for the best interest of our kids. That's what we're taught to do. But I have a secret to share with you. It doesn't work that way.
If we neglect ourselves, we cannot do the best we can for our kids. We cannot. We have to have fuel in our tank, we have to feel good in order to be able to do good and so this idea of sacrificing ourselves, for the good of our kids is a myth. It does not work. It actually makes you less capable of doing the best for your kids. So you have to be kind to yourself, you have to take time to refresh your spirit. Even if it is three minutes a day starting out. That's all it takes. Even if it's 30 seconds to take two deep breaths and reset your system that matters.
I also want to talk to you about giving yourself some grace. Look, you're a human being we are all human beings, there's no such thing as perfection. There's no perfect parent, there's no perfect child, you are going to make mistakes in your parenting. And it's okay.
In fact, I encourage you to make mistakes in your parenting and to own up to them with your kids and repair with your kids. Because this is how our kids learn to handle their mistakes, to handle when things don't go according to plan, to handle their frustration. They learn through watching us.
In order to do the best for your child, your well being equals their well being. So what are you going to do today? To take three minutes for yourself?
I challenge you to take that action every day. Going forward. What can you do?
It can be simple. You just have to do it.
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How does Tracto help me with this?
If we are used to not taking time for ourselves, it is going to take some practice to build a new habit. Set a reminder on Tracto to help you create a routine that centers around self-care and helps you to take the time to just breathe and be. And, while you are at it, why not do a quick journal entry of how you are feeling after taking a restful break?
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