As parents, it’s easy to feel guilty about not spending enough time with our children. There’s a lot of pressure – especially in our culture – to constantly give everything we have to parenting. We hear terms like “helicopter parenting” and “intensive mothering,” and many of us try to live up to these expectations, often at the expense of our own well-being.
But here’s the truth: stressing over every moment you spend (or don’t spend) with your kids doesn’t help them – and it can actually hurt both of you. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or burned out, your stress affects your children, no matter how much time you’re spending together.
In fact, what matters more than the number of hours is the quality of the time you spend – and how present, calm, and emotionally available you are. That starts with making time for self-care.
One powerful and simple self-care habit I recommend is mindfulness meditation. No, you don’t need to sit on a mountaintop or commit hours each day. Just 10 to 15 minutes of quiet time can help reduce stress, improve focus, and increase your emotional resilience. Millions of people – including busy parents – use meditation to manage the demands of daily life and parenting.
Shana Smith, a mom of two and author of Meditation for Moms and Dads, shares how daily meditation helped her stay grounded and patient through the most challenging parts of parenting. She says when she skips her meditation practice, she feels more overwhelmed. But when she meditates, she’s better able to keep everything in perspective.
And that’s a great reminder for all of us: parenting is about showing up for your kids as your best self—not a perfect self. That starts with taking care of you.
Taking care of yourself also means making sure your kids are protected, even if something happens to you. That’s where thoughtful legal planning comes in. As an estate planning attorney, I work with parents every day to make sure their children are cared for no matter what.
During a Life and Legacy Planning Session, I help you look at the big picture – what matters most to you, what you want for your children, and how to protect them and your assets if something unexpected happens. We’ll create a plan that gives you peace of mind and helps reduce future stress and conflict for your family.
When you prioritize your own well-being and plan ahead for your family, you’re not just being a good parent – you’re being a great one.
At Cheever Law, don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death for yourself and the people you love, starting with a valuable and educational Life & Legacy Planning Session. This will allow you to get more financially organized and make the best choices for the people you love. If you have already completed your estate plan, we will review that plan at your Life & Legacy Planning Session to ensure that it will work the way you intend and address any holes or gaps that may be present if circumstances have changed since you executed your plan.
To learn more about our one-of-a-kind systems and services, contact us or schedule a no-obligation 15-minute introductory phone call today.