Overcome Supermom Stress

April 20, 2009

As kids we have lived our fantasies of having the “best mom” or the “best dad”. While we grew out of it into reality, so will our kids. Its crazy to be standing at the other end, where as parents we now want to be the best of all. One can call it the “supermom syndrome” where one wants to be the do it all mom, who would have an answer to everything. There is no denying that we want what’s best for our kids, but in the process its very easy to get lost in the stresses you get exposed to. At some point, for your own good and for the benefit of your mental peace, its important to realize your limitations and know how good is good for you and your family.

Its absolutely fine to not be the perfect one. Many of us often stretch ourselves beyond the bounds of our level and hurt our ability to be a good mom or a parent. Its not just hard on yourself, but your family too. There might be times when your son despises you for missing his soccer game, but you had an important presentation at work right? There would be a next time. Its important to let things go and not be hard on self. You might want to read bedtime stories to your kids while your kitchen remains a mess for a while. Its important to lighten the mood and its ok to be a slacker at times as well. At the end of the day, you want to be a good mom, there is no such thing as the “super-mom”.

No matter how much your envy the family next door, only you can be the best judge for your children and the kind of exposure you need to provide them. Its not healthy to over burden your kids with 7 days of classes after school, be it skating or swimming or some music lessons. This over scheduling has never worked wonders for anyone. Learn to space out time with them and decide what’s healthy and most interests them. At the same time, make space for some family time or an activity they love to do, even if it involves nothing constructive or challenging. Do not let the pressures from the society, dictate your decisions and at the same time do not make their days monotonous. Its best to give them a variety to enjoy and experience, and its not always bad to allow a couple of hours in a week with their Nintendo wii.

While your kids are on it, it’s crucial that you don’t get lost in taking care of them as the only goal. Take some time off, give yourself a break, take a walk, watch your favorite show or just call some friends over. May be they have children whom your kids would love playing with too. It’s all about everyone being happy and neither getting stressed in the process. Talk to your husband; also spend time as a couple. If growing up healthy is important for kids, it’s as important for the mother to provide them a healthy environment, and it only starts in your own mind.

Assign duties; make your relationship more interactive. Award them for helping you set the table or making dinner. Involve your kids and make-work and play more fun. Don’t hesitate to become a kid yourself if you need to. Get rid of your inhibitions and think like you did when you were at their age. At times it helps to laugh like a child and enjoy like an innocent. You could be your child’s best friend and who wouldn’t want that?

Finally, don’t forget who you as a person, even before you are a wife, a mother or an employee. Your individuality would govern the way you are to your family. You won’t want to get lost in fulfilling your duties. Take up old hobbies and things you have always loved doing. Join piano classes if that’s what you enjoy doing or learn a language you have always wanted to speak. You have been blessed with a life which you rather celebrate and enjoy every moment of it. And the take home lesson is, the world starts from you. To be a good mom, you need to be good to yourself. In the eyes of your child, you already are “the super mom”

Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Methods 

Pregnancy Stress

December 24, 2008

During the time of pregnancy, you can experience stress because your body undergoes so many different changes. Coupled with this are emotional issues that can also stress you out. If you do not take care to curb stress when you are pregnant, it can affect your baby. It is known that acute stress can lead to stillborn children. Here are a couple of tips on how to cope with pregnancy stress:
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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Guides, Tips & Techniques, Understanding Stress 

Stress in Bullying

December 24, 2008

It is difficult for parents to see their child being placed under undue stress or bullied by peers. To bring an end to these problems, parents need to put aside emotional responses and concentrate on calm, considered actions.
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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Guides, Tips & Techniques, Understanding Stress 

Stress in students

December 18, 2008

Student or college life in particular is an important part of an individual’s life. There is no doubt that it marks a significant change in the needs, behavior, expectations and environment when a small dependent child goes through the phase of becoming a young adult. And just like any other change, this brings along a tremendous amount of stress, pressure and anxiety among youngsters. While some stress called the Eustress, is good; excess of it can have more than pronounced negative effects, which could be long lasting to say the least.
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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Understanding Stress 

Exam Stress

December 17, 2008

It is human tendency to live in the present, enjoying it, rather than spending time to ensure your future i better set. At the start of a semester you always tell yourself how important this is, and how you need to do well to succeed. But more often than not, there are a million things to distract you from doing the serious tasks and you keep procrastinating. You just worry about the present day and your future doesn’t concern you.You have a good time with friends and don’t pay that much attention to classroom lectures or assignments, they are just in your way of having fun. Read more

Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Guides, Tips & Techniques, Understanding Stress 

Understanding and managing financial Stress

December 10, 2008

Financial stress is not an issue that is concerned with a particular nation or a particular section of the society. It is a matter that keeps puncturing almost everyone’s life no matter how and where they live. Financial stress if understood properly has no relation with the rise and fall of the economy as well. It prevails throughout the year and also the coming years. This is because people feel secure only when they have enough money in hand and this continues to exist since the demand and requirement keeps doubling.
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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Understanding Stress 

Christmas Stress – Relief Is Available

December 8, 2008

Christmas – a perfect time to get together with family, feast and celebrate. Some celebrate it as a secular holiday and celebrate their family. Others celebrate the Winter Solstice. Many just see it as a family gathering where you get to see everyone together. Unfortunately, all of this brings a sense of dread to many people. Holiday time is attributed to be one of the leading causes of stress in certain individuals. Don’t let stress ruin your vacation. Here are some suggestions on how to give you holiday and Christmas stress relief.
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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Guides, Tips & Techniques, Understanding Stress 

Relationship Break up Stress

October 30, 2008

We all start dating and though we want love to stay in life forever, but it may not always come true. What when things go wrong-its time to move on. But this move on time or break-up as we call it is very stressful and sometimes life threatening too. It is because it results into a physical loss and means physical removal of someone special from your life. With separations, divorces or break ups you are abandoned purposefully. It is like you have been cast aside and rejected. Even though your loved one is alive somewhere but you know that that love was intentionally withdrawn from you and has opted to leave you.

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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Methods, Tips & Techniques, Understanding Stress 

Holiday Stress

October 29, 2008

Since the good old days, we have been associating holidays to a fun filled time with our nearest and dearest.

For some it may be still the same, but for many, holidays don’t come as a stress buster. Instead they contribute towards their already stressful life. But why have the holidays lost the charm and refreshment? Why do we suddenly have to talk about holiday stress? Why do we suddenly want to run way from something that we want very badly-we crave to have a break from our mundane and monotonous routine but when get holidays we feel stressed. But its not an inborn defect that holidays have but the stress is a bi product of our attitude towards the situation we are in. Do we want to be and remain upset or get over it? We need to look and probe at all the possibilities and not the restrictions.

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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Methods, Terminology, Tips & Techniques, Understanding Stress 

Causes of Stress

October 17, 2008

Be it a tiny needle or a huge din, stressors are plenty in number and widely spread around you! Anything that makes life uncomfortable or unpleasant contributes to stress. It could even be factors like anticipating the results of a certain game, having to focus your attention on a speaker while you are thinking of a holiday, and so on and so forth. Here, it becomes of prime issue that we understand the effect of various degrees of stress in our lives, and managing them to the best of available resources. Let us venture further into classifying the various causes of stress, and understanding them in a way to overcome them.

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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Understanding Stress 

Stress at Workplace

October 9, 2008

It goes without saying, that today’s world is far more complex than what our forefathers had seen. And what’s coming further, it’s simply going to get more and more taxing. The global economy, economic and social pressures, high cost of living and other luxuries, family pressures and higher expectations and the constant demand of better performances at the workplace are just a few picks from the bag.

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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Effects of Stress, Understanding Stress 

Is Stress Self Imposed?

October 2, 2008

Stress, often seen to be as a state of mind, is considered to be a noun, indicating a condition of mind in distress. However, as we are beginning to understand it more and more today, stress should be viewed as an act, as a condition we are undergoing, or rather imposing on ourselves. It wont be wrong to classify stress, or being stressed as a verb in its connotation. This is because, it is not an exclusive entity that we may include or exclude, be segregated with in our life or something that can be taken away as an object. Stress is in fact something that one does or is being involved in actively. We are the only ones responsible for it, be it the onset or the recovery from stress, or we may call it, “being stressed”.

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Posted by ManagingStressNow | Filed Under Causes of Stress, Understanding Stress