I know I may be preaching to the choir, but we single parents tend to be a hard-working lot. When we do allow ourselves a little fun and play, “little” may be the operative word. A laugh with friends here, a dinner or movie out there. All in all, we don’t really let our hair down. Perhaps it is for fear of losing control or being irresponsible; or perhaps it is that some of us are combating that myth of the “partying” single parent. Regardless, if we want our lives to feel healthy and balanced, we need to learn how to play as hard as we work.
Now, play does not have to mean spending a weekend drinking at the neighborhood bar! Play can be things like gardening, or jogging with the dog, or wrestling on the living room floor with the kids. Renting a movie and popping some popcorn counts as play (as long as we don’t have our cell phone handy or the laptop in front of us at the same time.) Set aside a BIG chunk of time so you can really play hard, not just five or fifteen minutes here or there. While those little brief chuckles or stretches may help relieve some of that single parent stress, it is the big doses that make life worth living!
Keep in mind that we are setting an example for our children whether at work or at play. Sure, we want them to know the value of hard work and see us as responsible, in-control sort of people–but don’t we also want them to learn how to relax and play? Don’t we owe it to them to share our playful, celebratory, or relaxed selves with them too? So, instead of letting just a little play into your life; just enough play to keep the pressure valve from getting to snug–make sure that you play as hard as you work–your mental health and your children will thank you for it!
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