“After you have raised your children, you will look back, and all those years will be a blur.” Margaret Marshall
As I look through my Facebook feed, I see all the wonderful pictures that parents post of their beautiful children on the first day of school, birthdays, holidays, etc. It doesn’t matter the age of the child the pictures are fun to look at. If I opened my photo albums I would see many of the same pictures of my children each year, until of course, they were too old to indulge me in my need to take photos.
The child-rearing years fly by too quickly and they blur together. During these years, some parents never make the time to care for themselves. Busy parents have various responsibilities, and are pulled in countless directions, causing them to falsely believe that there is no time available for self-care.
At the birth of my first child, my mom, who had raised five children, said, “After you have raised your children, you will look back, and all those years will be a blur.” Now those years are behind me, she was right! They are a blur!
Unfortunately, many parents lose sight of themselves while raising their family. They face the stress associated with kids, jobs, finances, and extended family members. Later on in life they are overweight, suffer with chronic pain, and rely on medications to counteract the effect of years of neglect or abuse on their own bodies. They ignored their health, ate poorly, and were physically inactive.
There has been a constant rise in childhood obesity, and I believe that young parents are over-taxed with time-constraints and responsibilities that often cause them to neglect their well-being, as well as that of their children. Young parents despite their hectic schedule need to focus on not only themselves, but also the well-being of their growing family.
Your body sustains your life. Therefore, if a long healthy life is your objective, you must sustain your body. Life-expectancy is longer now than ever before. The key to a healthy life is to practice self-care throughout. Through the blur years, while concentrating on meeting the needs of your growing family, take time to take care for yourself. By doing so, you set yourself up to enjoy many healthier years.
Because…
- When you are healthy, your family dynamics are as well;
- When you care for yourself, you also care for your relationships;
- When you are focused, success in your chosen profession will skyrocket;
- When you are mindful, you are able to meet challenges and handle responsibilities;
- When you are organized, you will have more time for yourself;
- When you are present, your family becomes closer;
- When you are a healthy eater, you teach your family to do so also;
- When you are active, your family is more energetic;
- When you are fun-loving, your family will laugh more;
- When you are peaceful, your family is more loving;
- When you are understanding, you family will thrive;
- When you play together, you will work together.
The benefits to you and your family will multiply through the years in ways that seem unimaginable, but are attainable. Put your self-care into motion so both you and your family will benefit!
Margaret Marshall is The Healthy Living Expert. She is the creator of the “Five-Finger Food Guide”, and the author of “Body, Mind, & Mouth” and, “Healthy Living Means Living Healthy”.
She is a media personality, and an international speaker presenting wellness programs at corporate functions, higher learning institutions, women’s organizations, medical facilities, and cruise ships. Have Margaret Marshall speak at your next event.