January 21, 2022
top trending topics
😞 If your child is unhappy, see it as an opportunity for growth.
👨👦 Give your child the gift of a positive male role model in their life.
💻 Worried that your child is cyberbullying? Here’s what you can do.
💔 Grieving infertility & miscarriages comes with many common challenges and misunderstandings.
🤗 You can find the balance between control and independence with your kids.
tips & tricks for growth
it’s no secret that having kids can affect your marriage
Being a parent is amazing, but it’s tough. Life changes with kids and each stage of parenting brings new challenges. There’s a lot to balance.
Raise your hand if…
✋Self-care has taken a backseat
✋You and your spouse have different parenting styles
✋Date night is often put on the back burner
✋Your sex life… wait, what sex life?
✋You’re not as satisfied in your marriage
Yup, being a parent is challenging, but it’s also really rewarding. Enjoy it, make memories, and don’t sweat the small stuff. Be intentional about having a healthy marriage, because it’s the best thing for you and your kids. You can reduce the stress and increase your connection with these tips.
feeling compassion fatigue? you’re not alone!
Have you ever felt like you’ve cared so much you just can’t anymore? Like you’re exhausted from taking care of others? Even if you’ve never heard of compassion fatigue, you may be familiar with what it is. Maybe more familiar than you’d like.
Compassion fatigue is rooted in caring for others.
It would be easy to confuse compassion fatigue with burnout, but they’re a bit different.
Compassion fatigue occurs because of the emotional strain of supporting those who are suffering from something traumatic. It is rooted in caring for others. It’s not just a workplace thing, but it can co-exist with burnout, especially for those in service professions.
Look for these symptoms:
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Physical and psychological exhaustion
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Feeling helpless, hopeless, or powerless
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A decreased sense of personal and professional accomplishment
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A change in your worldview or spirituality
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Drastic shifts in mood
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A dramatic withdrawal from social connections
Since compassion fatigue affects your mental and physical health, it also impacts the quality of your relationships with your partner, children, friends, and co-workers.
what we’re lovin’
This week’s picks come from Chris Ownby, a husband, #GirlDad of 2, and our Research Strategist here at First Things First! He’s always researching & reading so he’s come across some great things. Take a peek at his recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check ’em out 👀:
📲 @TeenagerProTips on Instagram– For those who just need to know someone else out there understands what it’s like to have teens in the house. Great for those days when all you can do is just laugh it off.
😂 What Do You Meme Family Edition– Such a fun game to play for the entire family. Even the grandparents got in on this one. Lots of laughs and it rarely gets old!
📗 A Chicken’s Guide to Talking Turkey with Your Kids About Sex– Such a great book on a very important topic. Many parents shudder at the thought of talking about sex to their kids. This book provides a great deal of encouragement and good information at age-appropriate levels.
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Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we’ve packed in here? Go ahead and share it with them!
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