January 20, 2023
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tips & tricks for growth
don’t let burnout takeover, enjoy your parenthood journey
BY MITCHELL QUALLS
š¤I have a confession to make: Iāve been stressed and exhausted many times. Iāve felt burned out and ready to quit, but not from work obligations ā from being a parent.
Parenting is tough. Itās demanding. Before our son was born 10 years ago, I recall people telling me everything would change. I donāt remember anyone telling me Iād be taking 2AM walks to stay sane. No one told me there would be days Iād question whether I could continue. The list of things I wish Iād known then is long.
Parental burnout is a real thing, but donāt get me wrong ā I wouldnāt trade being a dad for anything. Researchers Hubert and Aujoulat found that āparental burnout results from situations where exhaustion occurs as a result of being physically and emotionally overwhelmed by oneās parental role.ā
If youāve been a parent for at least a couple of hours, you know that parenting stress is real. But when it consumes you, burnout sets in. Thereās hope, though. You can stop the cycle of parental burnout.
š The stress isnāt going anywhere, but there are some healthy ways to lessen the pressure.
taking care of yourself while caring for others
Have you ever felt like youāve cared so much you just canāt anymore? Like youāre exhausted from taking care of others?š° Even if youāve never heard of compassion fatigue, you may be familiar with what it is. Maybe more familiar than youād like.
What is compassion fatigue?!
Psychologist Charles Figley says itās āa state of exhaustion and dysfunction, biologically, physiologically and emotionally, as a result of prolonged exposure to compassion stress.āĀ In essence, itās feeling like you have no more empathy to give…
Letās face it: Life can be downright draining.Ā
š¤ The root of compassion fatigue is in caring for others. It would be easy to confuse compassion fatigue with burnout, but theyāre a bit different.
So, how can you take proper steps to care for yourself too?
let’s get REALatable
It’s time to take things a step further & get a little intimate with a Q&A. What do you say?š Learn a little bit about the faces behind all of this relationship gold. This week we’re chatting withĀ James Woods,Ā husbandĀ to Marquita, dad of 6, and the Community Outreach Specialist here at First Things First. Let’s get REALatableš & learn a little bit about him:
Q: Whatās a hidden talent of yours?
A: šŗSome might not know that I really love to dance! Iāve been performing for years– In my dancing days, I even opened up for Destiny’s Child (*Gasp*), modeled clothes and performed in tons of talent shows.
Q: Least favorite type of food?
A: š„¦Ā I’m a picky eater and I donāt like broccoli. Even the smell of it really bothers me! Sorry, I know you need your greens but I’m definitely working on eating them more.
Q: Who’s made a big impact on you and why?
A: āØĀ T.D. Jakes has really made a strong impact on me! The delivery of his messages are powerful and have helped me through a lot of tough times!
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