Caregiving – taking care of one another – is an important part of family life. We are all born defenseless and in need of care, and many of us will end our lives in a similar “second childhood” dependent on others to care for us. And with very few exceptions, most of us will spend some of our lives as caregivers.
Expectant parents know they have to be ready to , but other types of caregiving can take you by surprise. When you’re young, your parents take care of you – and then suddenly (sometimes too young) a parent starts failing… now you’re parenting your parent?? And unexpected things like accidents, surgeries, or sicknesses take a loved one by surprise, and you end up suddenly thrust into the role of caregiver.
I heard more than one person in that kind of situation say this week – “HOW DO I DO THIS?” How do you lay down the massive amounts of time, energy, and love it takes to care for a person in need – whether young or old – without totally crashing & burning? How do you manage it all, without a superhero cape?
The biggest thing that comes to mind in situations like this is: put your own oxygen mask on first, before assisting others. The caregiver needs to practice self-care first and foremost. I may never have breast-fed, but I can tell you this for sure: if momma isn’t feeding herself first, baby doesn’t get fed enough either.
Self-care might be calling a friend for support, or it might be taking a nice long walk alone. It might be ordering your favorite food for home delivery instead of stuffing down a quick PB&J. These may seem like selfish acts, in the face of such pressing and constant need, but they can be the oxygen we need to keep breathing and keep working.
What do you do to take care of yourself? Even if you’re not a caregiver now, take a moment to focus on caring for yourself – so that you can be strong enough to care for others.