May and I attended a program entitled " Taming Toxic Stress" hosted by Marti and Erin Erickson aka: the Good Enough Moms" They shared information with a packed house on how our stress can be passed along to our children and how it effects them.
They shared many tips on how to tamp down our stress and keep it somewhat under control. Here is some knowledge and tips we gleaned from the evening:
Although we can't completely protect children from stress, we can rise to the challenge of stress.
Stress becomes toxic to children when there isn't a caring, supportive, responsive parent available as a buffer to the physiological reaction. When under stress our bodies produce the stress hormone cortisol. When children are feeling stress their body can become flooded with cortisol which can impair the brains ability to learn and control impulsive behavior. Their brains release less of the hormone when there is a loving, comforting, parent available.
Don't feel guilty about taking "me" time. Taking care of ourselves is not being selfish. If you take care of yourself, you can take better care of your children. Mini breaks can do wonders. Get out in nature, take a bath, read a chapter in a book or exercise. It is crucial to have connections with a group of friends you can count on. A support system to talk to or help back you up when needed. Establish tool boxes of stress busting techniques. Take time to breathe and be in the moment Apologize and acknowledge mistakes (personal note) Having an enjoyable evening out with other moms, great conversation, chair massages and delicious appetizers help too. ___________________________________________________________ This event was so popular, they plan on hosting more and we'll keep you posted when we hear when the next night out is coming up. In the meantime you may be interested in listening to these related Good Enough Moms podcasts that dig deeper into the topics and solutions : Breathing for Health and Joy: Conversation and Practice with Therapist Linda Nelson
When stress takes over we often forget to breathe, but Linda Nelson, therapist and instructor of mind-body classes, offers simple exercises that calm and refresh even the most stressed-out parent. Marti & Erin get downright mellow doing this podcast; listen and mellow out with them! Listen here
A Delicate Balance: Integrating Work and Family in a Way that Works for You
Beth Quist, Executive Director of the Working Family Resource Center, joins Marti & Erin for a discussion of the challenges of managing multiple demands and finding a balance that is healthy for you and your loved ones. Listen here.
