Playing with your children can be one of parenting’s greatest joys, bringing sweet moments of pure happiness and lots of laughter. It’s a time to embrace your inner child and allow yourself to let loose a little. Of course, children seem to have endless amounts of energy, which can often leave parents wondering how on earth they are to keep up. Fortunately, there are some self-care things you can do to help yourself last a little longer during playtime.
Eat a Healthy Diet
If you want to keep up with your kids, you need to make sure you’re giving yourself the fuel to keep going. As tempting as it might be to reach for that cup of coffee to give yourself a boost of energy, you’re far better served to eat a healthy diet that will provide you with steady energy throughout the day. A diet that consists of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats can give you lasting energy. Of course, eating a healthy diet can feel overwhelming with all of the responsibilities you’re already tackling. Make it easier for yourself by finding quick, easy ways to sneak in extra nutrition. Choose whole-grain bread and pasta instead of white varieties. Try making different healthy smoothie recipes with your favorite fruits and vegetables. Add nuts, seeds, spinach, and other superfoods for extra nutritional value. It’s as quick as throwing it in the blender and letting it work its magic. As a bonus, it’s easily portable.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep can feel like an activity relegated to those without children, especially if you have a newborn or are in the middle of sleep training for what feels like the twelfth time. Still, it’s essential if you’re going to keep up with your little ones during playtime. Schedule your sleep like you do for any other important activity so you get the amount of sleep you need. You’ve probably established a bedtime schedule and routine for your children to give them cues that it’s time to sleep. Such routines aren’t only beneficial for children though. You may find it easier to sleep at night if you create your bedtime routine.
A good routine should help you relax and wind down. Avoid using technology for at least a couple of hours before bed to avoid blue light exposure that can hamper your sleep. Create a healthy sleep environment so that when you complete your routine and are in bed you’ll be more comfortable and sleep better.
Pay Attention to Your Cardiovascular Health
Have you ever found yourself out of breath while playing with your children? If so, you may need to pay more attention to your cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular health is important if you want to have a chance of keeping up with your kids during playtime. It can be tricky to manage though since aside from a lack of endurance and perhaps a pounding heart, the indicators that your cardiovascular health needs improving can easily go unnoticed until too much damage has been done. Such is the case with conditions such as varicose veins, which occur when the strength and elasticity of the walls and valves of your veins have been weakened to the point where they no longer function properly and allow blood to pool instead of moving back up towards your heart. Fortunately, there are multiple minimally invasive treatment options that involve little to no downtime so you can be up and chasing your toddler again in no time.
Get Your Littles Involved in Your Workout
If you are to improve your endurance, strength, and overall health, you need to make time to work out. That can be incredibly challenging, given all the demands you already have on your time. You may find it easier if you get your littles involved in your workout, or turn your workout into playtime. If you want to add extra intensity to your weightlifting workout, use your kids as weights. They’ll think it’s fun to get picked up and moved around by you, and you’ll get more of a workout than you would with actual weights since you’ll have to factor your kids’ wiggles into your movements, challenging you to be more stable. Turn your cardio workouts into games. Play tag, run races, play one-on-one soccer or football, or whatever else gets you both moving together. As a bonus, this can help you instill a love of healthy exercise in your children as they participate in physical activity with you.
When parents and children have a happy, healthy relationship, playtime together is one of the things children look forward to the most. Taking time to take good care of yourself can help you have the energy to keep up with them and last longer during playtime. Relish the opportunity to spend time with your children and make those precious memories together while you can. They won’t stay little forever.
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