Parenting has many positives, but there is one constant theme that shines through and that is the pure level of exhaustion that small children bring into the lives of dads everywhere.
They wake up in the night, they demand attention during the day, and general chores keep dads extremely busy – and tired. Here’s what you can do.
It’s Never Silly to Ask for Help
Remember, if you are struggling and feel as though it is time for a break, there is no shame in that at all.
Parents were not designed to be the only person in their kid’s life, and it is more than okay to have someone you trust to watch them for a night so you can go out and be yourself outside of that unit for a little while.
Practice Positive Parenting
You will always feel better about yourself if you are being the best you can be for your children. This means waking up to the benefits of positive parenting.
This style of parenting moves away from authoritarian values where children are minimized and put in a metaphorical box.
It embraces both the relationship you have and the person you are getting to know for who they are and what they bring to the world.
It is gentle, filled with nurture, and highly effective at building positive attachment models. Your foundation will grow, and so will theirs, and the knock-on effect of this is a great sense of achievement and wellness.
Get a Health Check-Up
It’s good, with chronic tiredness, to try to get to the bottom of what’s happening to your body. Sometimes, there can be an underlying health concern occurring that is contributing to your inability to bounce back and wake up.
You may be suffering from low testosterone levels, but you never know until you ask your doctor what’s going on.
There are some good supplements out there that are less relevant for younger dads, but are they effective for aging men? The answer is yes.
Anyone aged over 26 can benefit from a little hormone balancing, and testosterone is the place to start. It may just be the health kick you need to feel revitalized.
The Power of Sleep
Sleep may feel like an unattainable thing from time to time, but there will be opportunities to form healthier habits as your children get older.
It is ever so easy to get stuck in a routine where you don’t sleep because you are staying up to regain some sense of space from the busy day you just had.
Then you go to bed too late, get interrupted a few times here and there, and wake up feeling like you need a whole servicing on your body and mind.
This is a serious thing, and targeting this specifically will help you feel better in general.
Don’t Neglect Your Self Care
Self-care is everything from taking a daily shower to going out for a jog. What makes you feel like yourself? If the answer is going for a swim or sitting down with your console for an hour, then carve out that space so you have it on a regular basis.
There are so many associated benefits with consistent self-care routines that it is hard to deny that everyone should be doing it in one way or another.
So, if it has been a while since you bought a new moisturizer, or went for a proper haircut, this is your sign to book it in and get it done!
Being a dad is a lot of hard work and a whole lot of fun. Children are experts at inspiring exhaustion, but with the right strategies in your toolkit, you can overcome the common roadblocks to feeling well in yourself.
