Stuck in the Middle: Balancing Your Kids and Your Parents

Stuck in the Middle: Balancing Your Kids and Your Parents

You are at that stage in your life when both your kids and your parents rely on you heavily. It can feel as though you’re caught in the middle sometimes whilst you try to balance all of your commitments. When you’re a parent yourself it can be very difficult to juggle your home life with your parents’ needs. This is an issue that so many people face, so you are not alone. Ultimately, you need to find a way to strike a balance in your life, carry out your daily duties and make time for yourself. Here are a few methods which might help you to achieve that for yourself.

Understanding Your Parents’ Needs

Watching your parents get older will never be easy; you realize that they can no longer rely on themselves on a day to day basis. You often find yourself going round to their house with food, checking up on them and even helping them get up in the morning. This takes up a considerable amount of your time and your patience is wearing thin. As much as you want to help your parents, you might want to consider assisted living. Allow trained staff to ease some of your worries and help your parents to live a comfortable lifestyle. Most establishments cater for people who have a wide variety of needs. Carry out some research and you will soon find the right assisted living plan for your parents.

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Being There for Your Children

Now that your parents are taken care of, it’s time to find a way to be there for your children more. Perhaps you can never make their recitals because of work or you always miss out on bedtime because you’re taking care of other people. Write down two or three non-negotiables and change your schedule to make them happen. This will not only help you feel less guilty, but it will also allow you to set your commitments in stone, so that you know you have to be there. This might involve changing your working hours or cutting down to part time; weigh up the pros and cons of each option and you will soon find a balance.

Finding Time for Yourself

This is arguably the most important part to master. It can be so difficult to make time for yourself as a busy mom, but it is so important for your own health and wellbeing. When you feel like you’re being pulled in a number of difference directions you will soon become burnt out and this is when your health starts to suffer. Carve out a small pocket of time each week to have some time to yourself. Whether you take a long hot bubble bath or you head to your favorite gym class, do something that makes you feel totally relaxed.

Being stuck in the middle will never be easy, but you will soon find your own flow. Balancing your parents and your kids will soon become second nature once you discover a better routine for yourself.

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