"I am struggling but I can't tell anyone or get help. I am stronger than that..."
Life and parenting can be stressful enough without the added burden of our high expectations of ourselves. Most of us are highly capable and motivated to do our best for the sake of our children when we are mentally and physically well. Parents are often used to helping, persisting and not seeking help. When our minds are struggling and we feel overwhelmed, it can be more disabling than physical illness.
Our minds influence our:
- energy
- motivation
- concentration
- actions
- physical health
- feelings
Ultimately, it can affect our parenting. If your child is overwhelmed, would you prefer them to get help and to reach out or struggle alone? Likewise, if we are struggling, it is kind to ourselves and good modeling to our children to reach out to others.
We're all perfectly imperfect human after all!