Young Mothers: Take Care of Yourself

by Miriam Caldwell | More from this Blogger

16 Apr 2008 08:14 PM

In continuing with the young mother series based on Elder Ballard's third point to mothers in "Daughters of God" is to take time for yourself. Elder Ballard points out that if you do not take time to replenish yourself then you are in danger or running dry and being unable to provide love and care for your family at all. He also warns against "time-wasting, numb-minding things like television soap operas or surfing the Internet." He counsels us to turn to the Lord to find healthy ways to do this.

My grandmother gave me similar advice when I got married, at the time I didn't think it was that big of a deal to make sure to take time for myself, but once I started having children I quickly realized that any time just for myself was an immense blessing. This counsel is important to follow. It is too easy to totally lose your sense of self and purpose when you are juggling meeting everyone else's needs.

It is important that you take the time to nourish yourself spiritually every day. Additionally you need to take care of your physical needs. Eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep will help you to deal with the challenges of young children. Even though you may not sleep through the night for several years listening to your body and taking a rest when necessary can make a big difference in how you feel.

Additionally you need to allow yourself some time to do something fun and relaxing. As a young mother it can be difficult to find time for yourself. It may also be difficult to decide what to do with that time. Think back to the things that you enjoyed doing before you became a mother. These things may help you to find yourself again. Your husband can take the kids so that you can really enjoy this time.

Related Articles:

Young Mothers: Don't Overschedule

Young Mothers: Live in the Moment

Balancing Your Need's and Your Family's Needs

Learn more about Miriam Caldwell

Miriam is a SAHM mom of three children. She has a daughter who is seven, and two sons, four and two. She loves being a parent and spending time with her children.

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