It’s easy to get lost among the activities and stresses and general busy-ness of being a parent. A lot of the time is spent dealing with minor emergencies, or trying to stay on top of everything, and maybe also juggle work or wider family demands too. To some extent that goes with the territory, and there’s a lot to gain from focusing on other people rather than yourself, as we saw right back in Rule 1.
However, you’ll be able to do a much more effective job of looking after your family if you’re happy in yourself. And while focusing on them will help with that, you can take it too far. Being a parent is supposed to be rewarding. It’s not always fun, and some days it’s damn hard work, but on balance you should be able to feel content that you’re doing it. So you need to look after yourself enough to enjoy your lot, at least on a good day, and so that your children grow up with a broadly relaxed parent who enjoys being around them.
Just to keep you on your toes, the demands of being a parent shift hugely from the sleepless nights with a small baby, to the toddler who never gives you a break, to your school-age child coping with friends and homework, to the teenager who mostly shouts at you and somehow seems more vulnerable than they ever did as an infant. If you have more than one child, and especially if you have, say, a toddler and a teenager, this only gets more complicated and demanding. So finding time for yourself in the midst of it all is a challenge. But that’s OK – these next Rules are here to help.