Parent Self-Care 101 – with Nancy Harazduk

parent self-care

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE on iTunes and Stitcher

“Parent self-care.” Perhaps even taking care of yourself first. It just sounds wrong, doesn’t it?

Yet it might be one of the most important things you can do for your kids.

See, we’re all built with a “save the kids!” mentality, as if we’re jumping off the Titanic and there’s room in the lifeboat for just one more. It’s a natural inclination that’s great for the survival of the species — put the next generation first so that the human race can keep on.

Luckily, most of us don’t spend our days jumping off the Titanic or out of burning buildings. And yet we live each day as if we are, stuck in the mindset of constantly sacrificing ourselves for our kids.

We think it’s for their benefit — but what if it’s not? What if it’s actually harming them?

I don’t know about you, but I know that when I’m tired, stressed, or on edge, I can inadvertently be a little short with my kids and my wife. I might not pay attention as well as I should. I might eagerly look forward to later on when I can finally rest.

Doesn’t sound like amazing parenting, does it?

More importantly still, this high-strung state would be a pretty terrible example for our kids. After all, you cannot teach what you have not learned. We want our kids to grow up healthy, happy, and balanced. How can we expect that to happen if their primary role models are constantly tired and stressed?

This is why I created the Mindfulness for Parents Online Course — to give you tools you need to recharge, refocus, and rebalance your life — both as a parent and an individual, so you can raise your kids the absolute best you can. Learn more about this incredible course by clicking here.

To help illustrate the importance of parental self-care & how some of the tools in this course work, I’m sharing my conversation with the wonderful Nancy Harazduk.

Nancy is the director of the Mind-Body Medicine Program at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She has taught self-care skills to hundreds of medical students — including me. She’s also trained faculty and staff at Georgetown’s med school and law school, residents and faculty at Stanford, members of the Middle East Cancer Consortium, and many more.

She’s an expert at helping people find balance in their lives, and she’s here today to talk about why it’s so important for you to find it in yours.

Listen to her top tips by clicking here for iTunes or play in the player below.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Why it’s important for parents to take care of themselves first, even though that seems so hard
  • What mind-body medicine and mindfulness are and how they apply to parenting and self-care
  • How your imagination can help you and your kids achieve a state of calm
  • Why it’s okay if you get distracted while you meditate
  • How judgment reinforces negativity
  • Why forgiveness is a powerful component of healthy parenting
  • What Nancy’s son said to her that showed her how important her own self care is to the whole family
  • How to fit these tools into your daily life
  • And so much more

“If we fall apart, everything around us will fall apart.” — Nancy Harazduk

“You cannot teach what you have not learned.” – Dr. Steve Silvestro

Be sure to SHARE this page & this episode with anyone who needs to find the right balance in their lives!

Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, PinterestTwitter, or LinkedIn, and let me know what you think about my conversation with Nancy.

Important Resources

Music

Share these images on Pinterest:

parent self-care
Parent Self-Care

LIKE WHAT YOU’VE READ SO FAR?

GET ACCESS TO MY FREE KIDS’ HEALTH TIPS