5 tips for stress-free parenting

by  Leonid Mamchenkov 

As all of us know, parenting is a full time job and comes with no days off. So it’s important for grownups to keep their stress levels under control. An let’s face it a relaxed parent is the best kind there is – happier, more content and in a much better position to deal with tantrums. With that in mind here are some tips for removing stress from your lifestyle so that you can be a more relaxed parent.

Make extra time

How can you make extra time, you might be wondering? Well, it’s simple: get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to allow for those times when the school uniform isn’t ironed, or the car won’t start. When you’re heading out, leave 15 minutes earlier than planned so that traffic jams, emergency stops and road closures don’t get in the way of your day going smoothly. In short, when you make more time, you create less stress. This is one useful habit that is well worth the effort to cultivate.

by  Hernan Piñera 

Meditate

So you’ve managed to adopt the habit of getting up 15 minutes earlier to make more time in the mornings. But what about adding another 15 minutes to that for “you” time? One great way to get centred and focused at the start of a busy day is to get up early and meditate before you do anything else. This will give you a peaceful chunk of time to yourself before the kids wake up, and you will feel calmer and more in tune with your thoughts for the day ahead.

Keep your hobbies

Being a busy parent doesn’t automatically mean giving up your favourite hobbies. Even if you just manage to keep one afternoon or evening a week free, you will feel better and less stressed by doing the things you love. If you can’t get your spouse to mind the children for that short window, why not bring the kids to a friend, relative or child minder for a couple of hours – you could even enroll them in their own class at the same time.

by  ecodallaluna 

Use your evenings wisely

Once the kids have gone to bed you should use your free time to unwind, rather than taking on new tasks around the house or tackling the washing up. Your spare time is important, and needs to be honoured, otherwise you will burn out. Here are some ideas for ways to unwind:

• Put your feet up and watch a film together, or better yet catch up on your favourite Netflix box set while you have the television to yourselves!

• Try out the grown up version of Bingo and possibly (shh!) win some money with online bingo games from 32Red, for example. Other online casinos you could try include Games.com, or Luna Casino. For the fun and simplicity of bingo though, a specialist site like 32Red might be your better bet.

• Have conversations with other adults or just have a laugh with friends you don’t have time to see often by chatting on Skype – keeping in touch with your non-parent friends is important too.

So, what are your favourite ways to de-stress? Let us know in the comments.