Why Self-Care Is Necessary for Parents

Not too long ago, I was emptying my lungs in a primal scream into my pillow. It was the middle of a Wednesday, and I was once again working while also taking care of my toddler because daycare was closed. I was covered in sweat and whatever those greasy little hands had put in my hair. Nobody had slept well in days. There were tantrums erupting every hour. I had a pounding headache, there was a work deadline coming up, I couldn’t hear myself think…I could barely remember my own name. Screaming into the pillow seemed like the only viable option.

I’m not the only one burning out 16 months into a pandemic. People are feeling pent up, over-loaded, lonely, stifled…and even with vaccines and society opening up, the collective stress of the pandemic continues to weigh heavily. No wonder there have been headlines like, “The Agony of Pandemic Parenting” and “I cry on Tuesdays and Fridays." There’s even a hotline you can call that will let you scream into the void, if you need something a little more interactive than a pillow.

So, now more than ever, it seems that parents - and everyone else - need to practice self-care. What exactly does this mean? How do I add one more thing to the to-do list when I’m already swamped? To find out, I talked to an expert.

Dr. Nanika Coor is a clinical psychologist and respectful parenting therapist based in Brooklyn, New York. In her private practice she offers therapy to parents whose childhood experiences are intruding on their relationship with their children, and who want to do better as parents and as people. Her work centers around processing, healing from, and breaking intergenerational cycles of painful relationships, in the service of shifting to a more respectful, collaborative, and empathy-based approach. She is also the host of the new Project Parenthood podcast from the Quick and Dirty Tips network.

Today, I asked her to share her wisdom with a focus on how parents can take care of themselves. Her tips are down-to-earth and applicable to everyone, including non-parents. Here is an abbreviated version of our conversation. Click the audio player above to hear the entire interview:

Savvy Psychologist: So many parents have experienced burnout in the past year and a half. What have you heard from your patients? How have they been coping?

Dr....

Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips