Hello There Mama,
I want to take a moment to acknowledge the pain and grief in our world, which can sometimes weigh heavily on us all. Navigating the difficult issues of the world can feel incredibly challenging. I’d like to remind you that it’s okay not to be okay. Each time we hear about something terrible happening in the world, it stirs our emotions, leaving a mark on our hearts and minds.
So, let’s check your emotional temperature, Mama. How have you been feeling in the past month? What have you noticed about yourself lately? If you’ve been struggling with mothering, concentrating, working, or simply getting through daily life since the news has been filled with difficult stories, it might be because of all the pain and grief in the world.
For me, my heart aches every time I hear about a tragedy, especially when children are involved. It often feels like we’re moving from one tragedy to another, without enough time to process and grieve the last. This is particularly true for us San Antonio mothers, who experienced a tragedy so close to home. The weight of these events can make it challenging to show up as we want to for ourselves, our families, at work, and even as parents. Recognizing what you’re going through is essential so you can care for yourself and begin the healing process. As mothers, understanding our emotional responses to the world helps us hold that space for our children.
While we navigate the world’s difficulties, we still have to continue parenting. Parenting during these times can be exceptionally tough because we’re trying to make sense of our experiences while helping our children understand their own. Right now, mothers all over the world are doing one of the toughest jobs ever: creating safe spaces for our children while our own hearts are broken.
Talking to our children about what is happening in the world is never easy. We want to shield them from the ugliness, but they are just as exposed to the news as we are. They have their own feelings and should be encouraged to share them, rather than shutting them down. So, how can we hold space for them?
Here are some tips for healing together:
- Put Your Oxygen Mask on First: Mama, you can’t support someone else if you’re not taking care of yourself first. You matter, and so do your needs and feelings. Take time to process them.
- Emotional Self-Care: Allow yourself to feel, be vulnerable, and release your emotions in the way they want to emerge. Whether it’s having a good cry, journaling, talking to a therapist, or being in the company of trusted people, embrace it. You need an emotional release!
- Disconnect: Take a break from watching or reading the news, scrolling through social media, and other sources of information. Staying completely away from the news is challenging, so decide how much information you’re willing to absorb each day. This can be helpful for the whole family, and managed through social media/technology timers.
- Listen to Your Children: Ask them what they know about what’s happening in the world, what their understanding is, what their friends are saying, and how it makes them feel. This allows you to be curious and connect with your child without oversharing potentially worrisome information. Your only job is to listen to their answers.
We’re living through difficult times, and while we can’t control what happens around us, we can control the way we care for ourselves and the environments we create. Emotionally caring for ourselves is the most nurturing gift we can offer.
So, Mama, as you navigate the weight of the world, remember to be gentle with yourself and allow space for healing. You are stronger and more resilient than you might think.
