Mama, I see you. I know how hard it is to be a parent, especially if you are in the trenches right now. Although it is a challenge, I promise that you will get through this and it will be so worth it in the end. Being a parent is stressful and hard, but it’s also very rewarding – it just takes a bit of time to figure out how to get into your new routine and also how to actually relax as a parent. This is the key to enjoying motherhood – relaxing and knowing that you made to be the parent of your child. Have some fun, do your best, and become stress-free! Here are a few ways to relax as a parent:

Have Some Fun

This is essential. When it comes to relaxing as a parent, you just have to let loose and have some fun. Maybe this means going to get a massage so that you can relax (I highly recommend this, by the way!), or maybe this means letting loose on the dance floor and getting your groove on. If you aren’t sure where to start when it comes to this, maybe check out USA Ballroom. Located in Red Bank, NJ, USA Ballroom offers latin and ballroom dancing, along with other dance styles, such as Salsa, Latin, Tango, Rumba, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, and many other dance styles, as well. They are dedicated to the art of dance and are committed to helping their students not only realize their goals when it comes to dance, but also achieve them. There are so many benefits that you can receive from enrolling in dance lessons with USA Ballroom such as becoming more confident, learning how to move with the music, and also taking command of the dance floor. You will also have so much fun! The owners, Brian and TJ are committed to helping their students fall in love with the art of dance and they cannot wait to help guide you along in your journey. Visit their dance studio in NJ today, or check out their website to find out more about USA Ballroom. Your first class is free! 

Bond With Your Kids

As your kids get older, you might start to have anxiety about what they are doing and who they are hanging out with. I know it is hard to relax when it comes to this, but the closer you are with your children, the more they will let you in on, which can help you relax. Bonding and getting to know who your child really is or who they are becoming (they change so much, so quickly!) is essential to relaxing as a parent and really understanding them.

Do What You Can

You can’t always force your kids to do exactly what you want them to, especially as they get older, but you can do what you can to make sure they are growing up to be healthy and strong. This means cooking healthy meals, making sure that they know simple hygiene tasks, and ensuring that they are warm enough (or cool enough) when they go to the bus stop each morning. If you have an infant, you get to do everything and this can be stressful. In that case, just know that you can only do so much and you are doing an awesome job!

Stop The Comparison Game

Okay, moms, dads, and really everyone else (even those without children) – we need to stop the comparison game! It’s not good for yourself or for your kids. Baby Center says, “The comparison game is one new moms know well. Even when we try to avoid the “does your baby do this yet?” questions, it’s pretty impossible not to notice when, say, a friend’s 5-week-old is smiling and yours isn’t. As mom Heather Cianciolo says, “Doesn’t every mother compare her kids?” Blame it on our survival instincts, says Kathy Seal, coauthor of Pressured Parents, Stressed-out Kids: Dealing With Competition While Raising a Successful Child. “We’re hardwired to push our kids to compete. After all, our ancestors’ children had to be strong enough to get that last piece of meat or outrun that dangerous animal,” Seal says. “It’s also natural to want our kids to acquire skills, so we compare for reassurance.”

Normal as it is, comparing can be a recipe for stress. It can also prevent us from fully appreciating what our kids are accomplishing.”

Trust The Caregivers

When you go out, you need to make sure that you fully trust your caregivers. If you do not, then you are in for a lot of anxiety and stress when you should be focusing on your work, yourself, or whatever else you are planning to do that day. For example, if you take my advice and go and get that massage to give yourself an hour of relaxation, how can you really let loose and enjoy that if you are so focused on how your child is doing and if your caregiver is doing what you asked of them. So that you are able to relax, it is essential that you trust your caregivers. Only hire people that you will not have to worry about once you leave the house.