Self-care resources
As a parent or caregiver of a child with a chronic illness, it can be difficult to not let the illness consume you and to take time for yourself. However, to help the people you love and meet life’s many obligations, you need to take care of yourself. Mark July 24 as International Self-Care Day (ISD) by learning some ways to care for yourself in order to stay healthy and avoid burnout.
AboutKidsHealth’s article, Caring for yourself, covers three areas of focus for caring for yourself:
- Take time for yourself.
- Know your limits and invest in your health.
- Remember that it’s OK to have fun.
Mark July 24 as International Self-Care Day (ISD)
Taking time for yourself
Parents and caregivers often say they feel selfish or guilty for doing things for themselves, but your health is important. Take time to do things that you enjoy and to try some relaxation techniques, even if it is only for a few minutes.
Check out AboutKidsHealth’s teen sessions for stress management and relaxation techniques:
Knowing your limits and investing in your health
Treatment for a condition such as cancer can be long. You will need to be there for the long haul rather than burning yourself out in the short term. For this reason, it is important to know what your limits are and share them with your family. This is an important part of investing in your health in addition to eating healthily, finding time to be active and getting sleep.
Remembering to have fun
It may feel impossible for you to find space for joy, fun and pleasure when life feels terribly difficult. Remember that it’s still OK to be happy and to laugh or joke sometimes and that you and your child will still be able to enjoy some moments together through the treatment.
For more information on caring for yourself while your child is ill, please see the article, Caring for yourself.
For more resources to help you relax and cope with stress, visit the “Guided meditations” section of our mental health learning hub for teens. These can be helpful to people of all ages experiencing stress or who just need to bring themselves back to the present moment.
AboutKidsHealth is SickKids’ health-education website and features more than 3,500 articles on a range of health topics. For more information on self-care and other health topics, visit www.aboutkidshealth.ca.
