Double The Duties: Helping Your Aging Parents When Struggling With Kids

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When we have children, we can certainly feel that our wellbeing is being pushed to the very limits. But what happens when you get to the point where, not only do you have your children and a busy work life to juggle, but your parents need help from you because they’re getting old? It’s at this point where you can feel like your parental duties have doubled somewhat, but what can you do to help everybody in this difficult situation?

How Much Can You Physically Do For Your Parents?

It can get to the point where your parents aren’t able to look after themselves at all. Is it now time to consider what professional help is available? There could be someone who could come to your parents’ house and help them make a meal, but there can also be care homes as provided by companies like MACG Aged Care, and it’s at this point that you need to decide what the best course of action is, not just for them, but for you. If their level of care is so severe that they need help going to the bathroom, you need to address what you can physically do for them. At this point, guilt can creep in, but it is a fairly useless emotion, especially when you know you’ve done everything you can.

You Can’t Neglect Your Health

You might be running around like a headless chicken, going to work, going to school, and dropping the kids off at various sports functions, that you might think there is physically no time to eat a healthy meal! But your health is what will keep you going under the stress you are suffering. The temptation can be to pig out with incredibly sugary meals, but you need the right food to fuel you, but you also need to consider your emotional and mental health. Take time out of your schedule to focus on yourself. No matter how limited quality time you have, it is vital to your coping strategy.

Ensure Open And Honest Communication

This isn’t just with your parents or your partner, but your employer, your children, and everybody else who is important in your life. When you wake up not feeling good and want to spend the rest of the day under the covers, say so! There is nothing wrong with admitting that you’re not up to task. We seem to think that pushing through is admirable and the only way we can get things done, but if you are running on fumes, and you are always close to burning out, you have to tell the relevant people. This is especially true with your employer if they have no idea why you’re calling in sick on a regular basis. It’s far better for you, in the long run, to be honest, not just with everyone else, but yourself.

You can feel like your parenting duties have doubled, but when you feel like there’s no time for anything anymore, having an understanding of what you can physically accomplish, in combination with your mental and physical health, is the key to coping with all of this.