COVID PARENTING, BACK TO SCHOOL, & FITNESS

Written by: Krista Bergeron

Saying that being a parent during the COVID Pandemic has been a challenge is an understatement.

Frankly, if you managed to keep them safe, facilitated them passing their last six weeks of Spring semester classes, and didn’t kick anyone out of the house you deserve a round of applause. For many parents, you yourself have been scrambling and struggling through this pandemic in your own work; nevermind relearning the quadratic equation and trying to home-school your kids. (I’d like to take this moment to thank all the teachers who support our children’s growth five out of seven days of the week. Y’all are the real MVPs.)

In all seriousness, it has been draining and difficult for the parents and our kids. We have all shed tears of frustration at times and we shared moments of deep compassion that were deeper than we knew possible, all while literally being stuck in the house together.

Every family is experiencing the collective rollercoaster that is school shifting to online, activities being canceled, restarted, and canceled again. This uncertainty along with the individual struggles and emotions that every parent and kid faces can feel completely overwhelming. The thought of being trapped at my kid’s ages, when I was the freest and enjoying newfound independence of adolescence is hard. For all of you parents with infants, toddlers, and early school-age kids; I can’t fathom what you have been experiencing trying to balance working from home alongside the well being and education of your family. 

Despite my own days where I felt demoralized by the situation (there have been many), I have gained some clarity about trying to manage it all. So here’s what I have been teaching the Austin Simply Fit team, and my team at home. 

Spend your energy on what you have control over each day. When we worry endlessly about every factor that lies out of our control, we waste so much time and often paralyze ourselves with all the “what if’s”. Spend less time online and more time reading; more time cultivating your craft or creating something. The opportunity for continuing education is never-ending right now and will make you feel so much better than an hour of scrolling your feeds. Do this for you. 

Admittedly, I am biased in this belief. But the point I want to drive home is that you have to find a way to carve out time for your own interest and give yourself a release from the stress and focus on your own well being. The “PUT THE MASK ON YOURSELF FIRST” rule in flying applies here, too. If you are not taking care of yourself, it will be very difficult to give to everyone else in your life what they need if your own tank isn’t full.

We all have the ability to develop our own well being every single day, even when the insanity of 2020 is pressing us down. Here are some of my personal favorite was to spend “me time:

• Mindful breathing
• Drink lots of water
• Prioritize sleeping enough
• Time Management
• Goal setting and tracking 
• Get out of my head and in my body daily
• Plan meals that make me feel good and fueled
• MUSIC
• Connecting with friends and family
• Reading
• Laughing
• Dancing
• Acts of service

Taking care of ourselves is the one responsibility we often forget about and it’s the one we need to make our number one priority. Take the time to fill your days with the activities that make you space, joy, and peace. This is one sure-fire way we can weather the storm of uncertainty that lies ahead. I’m not saying that squats solve everything, but they sure help me!