National Women’s Health Week – Own Your Health
As a woman, and the mother of 3 little women-in-training, I am delighted to share my experience during National Women’s Health Week. I spend what sometimes feels like an inordinate amount of time juggling my children’s health and wellness – a task that can be difficult even if your children don’t have chronic issues – and am often so exhausted after that I wind up putting my own health on the backburner.
From the simple administration of daily vitamins to meeting each child’s emotional needs, to the scheduling and showing up for specialist appointments and everything in between — it’s truly a job in and of itself. I know I’m in very good company struggling to find balance, in fact, Psych Central offers self-care tips for busy moms because…
“your children are — adorable [and] beloved — parasites, and you are the host, and that’s normal and healthy.”
As I’m changing the baby’s outfit (for the 3rd time today) and glancing over at my 3-year-old son who happens to be climbing the bookcase (anchored to the wall – of course), I acknowledge that all of my children are significantly more adorable than tapeworms, but… I can understand the metaphor. That’s why one of the goals of National Women’s Health Week (#NWHW) is to empower women to take charge of their own health, no matter what age. When talking to other mom friends, I often notice that it’s almost unspoken that these things must all be done perfectly, or we’re neglecting our children – at the expense of us taking care of ourselves. We joke about popping open a bottle of wine to cope with our daily stresses, and the memes are plentiful, but…
why are we putting ourselves so far down on the totem pole?
Among the many resources available, the NWHW site has an interactive tool to see how you’re doing – and identify where you can make positive changes — Quiz: What’s your health style? My health style is “Healthy-ish”… I’ll take it, and know that there’s room for improvement in some areas. Remember, we can’t be the best caregivers for our families, whether it’s children, spouses, or aging parents, unless we take care of ourselves first. Making one small change now can pay dividends down the line.
What is the next health change YOU plan to make? Is there one you wish you’d done sooner? Please, share it below!
Image Credits: Two Women Exercising – Photo by Luis Quintero from Pexels Mom Yoga – Photo from Adobe Stock