7 Ways that My Toddler Has Improved My Self-Care

Before I became a mom, I was absolutely terrified of how to care for a baby and then a toddler. All of the horror stories of sleepless nights, lack of showers, and constant hustling filled me with anxiety. I didn’t want that to be me. I was pretty sure my self-care would go downhill.

In part, some of that was me (the sleepless nights were REAL and rough). For the first several months I felt like I was drowning (most likely due to terrible sleep for all three of us). Once I started implementing some strategies to reduce my hot mess mom vibes, life started to feel more consistently peaceful.

Lately, I’ve realized that my toddler has actually helped me improve my self-care, contrary to all of the horror stories. What?! So, if you’re new to the parenting gig, I hope this article gives you hope for what could be your reality. If you’ve also raised or been around toddlers, I’d love to hear what you gained from the experience.

So, let’s dive into how my toddler has helped improve my self-care…

Hint! You can live intentionally with passion and purpose as God’s beloved.

Implementing a consistent, healthy eating routine

Did you know that little kids expect to be fed every few hours a day? Like every day?

I know – crazy, right?

As adults, we know that having routines for eating and sleeping is so good for us. But… do we do it?

Perhaps you’re on point about eating and sleeping consistently.

That’s awesome!

I’m not a rockstar at this.

I struggle with remembering to eat at all. I have a history of over-booking myself with meetings and presentations or getting super focused on a project. Hours later, I realize – I didn’t eat!

Not surprisingly, not eating contributes to feeling hangry, distracted, and sometimes migraines. Yay!

I’ve struggled with this all through high school, college, and my university job.

Little did I know that having my own toddler could help nip that in the bud!

As Little Man’s mom, I take his well-being seriously. Most of what I’ve read about raising people highlights how important routines are.

Since my little guy expects to eat and thrives on routines, we have a day-to-day routine (and schedule-ish) for meals and snacks.

By caring for my toddler, I’ve actually improved my own self-care by consciously a) eating and b) eating well-balanced meals throughout the day.

As a bonus, he needs snack time after naps. Quite honestly, Mama needs snack time, too! Why didn’t I do this before toddler life?!

!! I’m incredibly privileged to have local family who want to spend time with my son a couple times a week. I’ve noticed that on the days that Little Man isn’t with me, my old struggle to remember to eat pops up again. Thank goodness for my toddler!

Pursuing healthy movement each day

So much parenting advice/feedback/sources talk about how difficult it is to squeeze in fitness when you have small people in your home.

I disagree.

Working out doesn’t look the same as it did prior to Little Man. I don’t go to the gym. I don’t do long workouts at a time with him around (i.e. longer than 20 minutes).

But you know what? My little boy makes working out even more fun than before. I even work out MORE frequently now that I have my son.

Since Little Man’s premature birth, I sought out some new-mom workout options. After being on modified and then full-on bed rest for months, I was raring to get moving again. Plus, I needed a healthy way to navigate my new normal of becoming a NICU mom.

MommaStrong became my go-to option. In addition to having a new momma workout program, the workouts tend to be 15 minutes (plus stretching). Even better, the 5-minute hacks became my go-tos (still are!) when I’m just not feeling a full-fledged workout.

When Little Man came home and was finally big enough to be in a baby carrier, we started MommaStronging together.

I can’t tell you how exciting it was when he finally hit 8 lbs and could fit that carrier. My world was ROCKED.

So, how does Little Man make workouts more fun?

• He talks about it. “MommaStrong!” (And lately even requests it!)
• It’s a game for both of us. Sometimes the moves (and sounds I make) are pretty silly for him. Dive!
• I have the privilege of role modeling how fun working out can be.
• Sometimes he likes to snuggle up while I’m doing all-standing moves. #raremoment
• Let’s be real, planking or doing downward dog is way fun when a little kid pops under you to say, “Plank!” with a huge grin.

Sometimes I’m able to do a whole workout. Sometimes I’m interrupted 10 times because Little Man is getting into something he shouldn’t. Sometimes it’s a total bust.

!! Ditto like before on toddler-watch days. I also tend to move less when my little boy isn’t reminding me to get off the laptop and get shakin’. #workinprogress

Playing in the sunshine and the shade

Recently a friend and I were discussing dogs and children. I shared that having a child is kind of like having a dog – they remind you that you really ought to get outside and enjoy the outdoors.

Okay, before you get all offended, I know that my child is not a dog. I can’t leave him in the garage alone for hours on end, right?

According to the Chinese calendar, he was born in the year of the dog, so that counts for something, right?

Seriously, I’ve spent more time outside in Arizona with my son than I had in the previous 5 years before his existence.

Prior to Little Man, I thought, “Oh, how nice to go outside.” And then I stayed inside.

(Fun fact: 2020 was also the hottest summer on record in Arizona – crazy, huh?)

As part of our daily routine, we go outside each day. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite parts of the day.

We put on our socks, shoes, and sunscreen and go, as we like to say, “on a wonderful jaunt.”

There’s something magical about going outside with the simple goal of exploring and being present. We name colors, count objects randomly, run around, and make-up silly ryhmes.

If you have a toddler (or will have one), this is a definite perk of raising a small person – all the outdoor time!

Prioritizing daily rest times

Toddlers need naps. Surprise!

Though sometimes he resists it, it’s actually been another opportunity for us to connect.

(Let’s be real – he typically resists it most when I’m starting to think, “We’ve got this nailed down!”

As I’ve shared before, my son adores reading. So does his mama.

Our reading and singing time is such a simple cup-filling time. We read our favorite books. We choose songs to sing (he often starts them, too!).

Once he’s in bed (often loudly and enthusiastically sharing his thoughts about many things), I use this time to pursue my own priorities. Typically that includes:

• Savoring a beverage
• Chocolate
• A priority project: Coffee Chats and Yoga Mats, Bible study, DIY, reading a book or lying down

Rather than assuming I need to do all the things, I’ve decided to take a cue from my toddler and focus on using this time for rest and rejuvenation.

Prior to having my son, I wouldn’t have prioritized daily quiet time. I’m a better human when I pursue simple self-care like this.

More effective focused time

Before getting too far into this, I want to be clear: you can totally be effective with your time prior to having children. Personally, I thought I was a BOSS about rocking my time before I had my son.

And… I was.

Now, though, I’m actually far more effective with less time.

For instance, I typically pursue blogging-related work during his naptimes, which can range from 45 minutes to 3 hours.

Since that window can fluctuate so much, it’s forced me to really focus on what matters most to me for that time.

I’ve been guilty (and still am at times) of browsing social media and obsessively checking email, then being irritated when I don’t get “enough time” for a priority project.

Taking a hard look at what I’m giving my time to has helped me actually focus more. Less time means I need to be even more effective with what I have.

It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you have a limited amount of time! As a result, I’m actually investing in my own passions more effectively, which is another form of self-care.

More self-care information is on the next page – click below!