by Maureen Wuelfing

Created on: January 06, 2009

Parenting is a full time job! No coffee breaks, no talk at the water cooler, but pure 24/7 joy if you take the right approach. Joy does not imply easy by any means, and to make sure parenting is a joyful experience it is vital that you take care of yourself. Yes, you must take care of you or you cannot possibly take care of your children. Taking care of you does mean takings time for yourself. Parents you must take time for yourself.

At first, taking time for yourself seems like an overwhelming task. Like another chore you must fit into your day. It seems as if you don't take time for yourself your day will be better because you will have more time for the "Have To's". Believe it or not this thought is distorted. Taking a little time for yourself will actually renew you. You will find that you have more energy to to do chores and play and teach and break up fights.

But the question is how to take time for yourself. You do it in five minute vacations. That's right vacations. Change the way you look at those precious few moments and you will change the mood of your whole house and everyone in it. A five minute vacation does not need to be five minutes; it can be a few seconds or a half hour. It is your mind set that makes the moment what it is meant to be.

Anything can become a five minute vacation. Look out your kitchen window and see the sun shining on a patch of grass (or even concrete), watch birds or squirrels or pigeons at play, or watch a leaf float to the ground. Take the moment to really notice and enjoy that simply pleasure and you and your soul have been refreshed. Then you can recall that refreshed feeling whenever you need it throughout your day. One of the best five minute vacations is stopping to listen to your kids at play. Listen to their laughter or their conversations. The pure joy of a child untouched by adult stresses is a beautiful thing. Paying attention to these beautiful moments will help you keep love in your heart during those stressful ones.

If you are married taking time for yourself means taking time for you as a couple too. Often this seems like the most difficult task of all. It is is vital to raising healthy children. Again, this can be done in small intervals. Take 3 minutes to dance to your favorite song when it comes on the radio. A long embrace after a hard day at work can make your home a much brighter place. Hold hands, touch as much as possible, so you are able to feel each others love. Write love notes quick ones on sticky paper and leave them where you know they will be found. Then when you find one left by your spouse, take a five minute vacation to feel the love and let it fill you. In this way that love can help you through the difficult moments of the day, by simply recalling how it felt to find that note and know you are loved.

Remember, everything you do, you teach. Teach your children to enjoy life by letting them see you enjoy it yourself. You are lovable and you are loved!

Learn more about this author, Maureen Wuelfing.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.