ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOUR NEEDS ARE IMPORTANT!

Mothers are well known to prioritise the needs of their family life, their husband and especially their children, meaning that their needs are always put ahead of your own. If this sounds familiar to you, then please, please read on!

As humans, we all have needs. As a mother, part of your role is also teaching your children how to meet their own needs (such as dressing themselves, how to perform self-hygiene, stay safe, etc.). Aside from teaching children this, the responsibilities of a mother seem never-ending:

Meeting your children’s needs for education

Providing intellectual and developmental stimulation

Ensuring healthy levels of social interaction

Making sure your spouse and children know they are loved and appreciated.

But what about YOU and your needs?

Every mother is a woman. The young, vibrant woman who loves to laugh and feel beautiful resides in every mother, and every mother’s emotional needs include the need to feel loved, appreciated, strong and confident in her ability to handle everyday life. However, if we look at the sleep-deprived realities of having a baby; looking after young children; the energy required to provide a home; put food on the table; facilitate education and nurture family life - it’s already extremely demanding for any mother. And let’s add the past year of navigating the pandemic to the mix and it’s easy to see why there could be a lot of daily stress added to your life as a mother.

The link between stress and unmet needs

There is a direct correlation between high stress and unmet needs. Needs become more acute in times of stress, and needs that are insufficiently met may cause stress.

If you feel burned out, you may become frustrated and find it difficult to be patient with your children and appreciate their needs.

As your children’s needs are not met, they may become more stressed.

This can result in a downward spiral of unmet needs, increased stress, and greater frustration.