Together · 30 min
Something that is still yours
Keep one small thing from your life before the baby: a song, a walk, a hobby, a call, done once a week.
Becoming a parent can change almost everything about your days. It is common to feel that the person you were has gone missing for a while. Keeping one small thing that is just yours, done regularly, can help you stay connected to yourself.
The steps
Four small steps,in your own time.
Think of something you enjoyed before the baby: music, drawing, a sport, a walk, reading, a friend you used to see.
Shrink it to fit: one song, twenty minutes, one chapter, one call.
Choose a regular time each week, and ask another adult to look after the baby if needed.
Do it without guilt. Looking after yourself is part of looking after your baby.
The reason
Why it helps
Many parents find that holding on to something of their own helps them feel more balanced. A regular slot is easier to protect than a vague intention. It also shows children, as they grow, that parents are people with their own lives too.
A gentle variation
If you cannot leave the baby, choose something you can do with them nearby: music while they nap, a podcast on a walk, a sketch while they lie on a mat. If you are caring for someone else too, this matters even more.
WE · TRIBE
Try itwith someone.
Ask your partner what their one thing is, and take turns covering for each other each week.
Try it today
This week, choose one small thing that is still yours, and put a time for it in the calendar.
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