Your Essential Wellbeing Guide for Parental Mental Health Day 2024!
Written by Actor and entertainer Luke Harding, and CEO Tommy Balaam Editor: Jessica Jayne
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Anyone who can call themselves a parent will tell you that it is both the most amazing experience, and also one of the most challenging. We love our children more than we could ever imagine, yet the reality is that the sheer demand is high. You have a completely dependent little human who needs food, hygiene, warmth, love, care, attention, entertainment, and just pure nurture -24/7. That is a lot to give to anyone, especially when you already have to work, and keep your own life together.
On top of that you are just way more tired than usual. Let’s just say, babies and children aren’t the soundest sleepers sometimes. With such little time to just take a breath and enjoy your own life, your mental health can go downhill. A massive 61% of parents in the UK said their mental health has been a concern to them since being a parent, – so if you feel alone, I can promise you others around you feel exactly the same.
Good mental health requires us to pause, reflect, accept our situation and then move forward. If we don’t have that time to pause, then we can easily get overwhelmed. Our minds then struggle to process what our new reality is because we have not given ourselves the time to make sense of our experience.
1- Have some YOU time!
It is often hard as a parent to remember that you need some YOU time! If you are so busy caring for others that you forget to care for yourself, eventually you will burn out- and although we are all bound to feel this from time to time, there are little things you can sneak into your days to prevent that from happening. Whether that is as simple as having a bath, reading a book, having a couple hours to yourself, or going away somewhere with your family- it is vital you find a way to give you some time to relax and unwind.
There will always be someone in your life who can help you by looking after your little one to give you the time to yourself that your body craves, you may just need to have the courage to ask.
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2- Communicate
Many new feelings, worries, thoughts and challenges will come up as you navigate your way through your parenting journey. It is really important that if you struggle in any way, you talk to the people you trust, and those around you who will support you. People can’t read your mind and may think you are doing okay, but if you feel you are not, remember that it is ok to just open your mouth and see what comes out.
Those you trust want to support you and want to know what you are going through.
If you feel like you don’t have enough of a support network around you, it could be really helpful to have a chat with other parents when you feel a bit overwhelmed. No one can offer you genuine understanding and guidance better than those who have lived it already, and even better, are living it alongside you. You will soon know you aren’t alone with your struggles when you talk to other parents.
Our company, Captain Fantastic, often offers parties for children with the purpose that we will entertain the children and keep them happy and occupied, so that you get to just have a good old chat with other parents and let some of your stress out!
3- Be Grateful!
When we get into a negative headspace because life gets hard, we can end up seeing everything negatively. When you are feeling particularly pessimistic about life, is precisely when you could find time to practice gratitude and remember why you are doing what you’re doing. Take a moment to observe your beautiful child. Admire their innocence, and count your lucky stars that you get to be a parent to them. It is truly an honour.
Beyond that, there are ways to integrate gratitude into your daily routine! You could make a list daily of five things you are grateful for and why. It could be as simple as the fact you can see today, or hear the sounds around you. Or that you get to enjoy good food with the people you love.
4- And finally, enjoy life!
There is always time to enjoy your life. Even if you have children, there are ways to have fun with the whole family, and we are always on hand to help with this! Our goal is to bring pure fun and entertainment to entire families, and put smiles on people’s faces.
We provide music, performances, games, magic, and comedy, all in one show! What a way just to escape from the daily grind of parenthood, and see your little ones faces light up as the entertainer does what he or she does best.
For those times when you are at home, and just need some easily accessible fun and education tailor made for your children, we also have a fun YouTube series called Captain Fantastic Adventures, where Captain Fantastic and his friends visit fun yet affordable family locations. It is the perfect rainy day activity to keep them occupied- and even gives you some ideas for the future!
Ultimately, these are just a few examples of how important and easy it can be to find ways you can all enjoy being together, to bring some joy back, and to escape for a few hours. Remember our top tips, look after yourselves, and stay FANTASTIC!