Just know that if you are a parent dreading this season and unsure how to make it, you’re not alone. Yes, it’s important to help your child keep a positive outlook and maintain a routine, but making sure you keep your mental health in check is just as important. Our licensed psychologist Tampa Florida team and mental health counselors at Rice Psychology Group has a few tips to help you keep cool during these hot summer months.
As a parent in an ideal world, summer is a time to relax, travel, and spend time with your kids, who enjoy a much-needed break from their schooling and responsibilities. However, while these hot couple of months are a vacation for your little ones, they are anything but for most parents and guardians. The pressure to fill this time with entertaining or educational moments and ensure that virtually every awake hour of the summer break is filled with fun, memorable activities can sometimes be too much to handle.
Understanding the Challenges
One useful way to approach summer is to begin with acknowledging the inherent challenges, including longer days, the need for childcare if you can’t (or opt not to) be with your kids full time, disrupted routines, and possibly the constant need for engagement. Recognizing these potential obstacles and understanding that they are par for the course can help you as a parent feel less isolated and better prepared to handle these months and prioritize your mental health.
A few ways you can make your mental health a top priority and, therefore, make it a more enjoyable summer for you and your children include:
• Prioritizing Self-Care. Choosing to neglect self-care can lead to burnout and declining mental health. Taking care of yourself is, in fact, not selfish, but a must for positive parenting. Set boundaries with your child, relax, enjoy a hobby you want, and seek support from our team in Tampa if needed.
• Manage Your Expectations. Summer break can come with extremely high expectations for creating perfect memories or ensuring your child stays intellectually stimulated. Set realistic goals and focus on the quality of the activities rather than quantity. This can help create a more relaxed atmosphere for everyone.
• Be Flexible. Embrace the “go with the flow” attitude this summer. Don’t let unexpected changes to plans create unneeded stress. Be open to spontaneous moments and allow downtime.
Build A Support Team with Our Psychologist Tampa Florida
Summer parenting can be a fun, rewarding, and joyous time with your child, and it can also be incredibly challenging. It’s critical to prioritize your mental health during this season, as well as your child’s. By using our three tips above and allowing our Tampa team to support you and your family, this can be the best and most positive summer yet. We want to clarify that we understand fully that every parent is experiencing a different home situation and may need more help or support than others. If you would like to talk to our psychologists or counselors in Tampa, please do not hesitate to contact our psychologist Tampa Florida today.
