Grey-Bruce Kids Winter 2021/22

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HEALTH MAXIMIZE Wellness YOUR IT’S IMPORTANT PARENTS STAY HEALTHY IN TRYING TIMES BY TORI HAMILTON
As parents, it’s easy to find ourselves solely focused on caring for our children. Parenting, though exhausting at times, is such a rewarding experience. We gladly give our energy, time, and money to make sure that our kids have a childhood brimming with positive experiences. Every waking moment is spent cleaning, organizing, hugging, washing, wiping, cooking, consoling, helping… well, you get the point. With the pandemic approaching two years, there is another layer of expectations on us to have it all together, and it’s heavy. This constant feeling of having to stay ever-vigilant in case of another school shutdown or a change in public health guidelines, layered on top of the usual parenting challenges, has many of us on the verge of collapse. After a while, giving ourselves fully to our families can lead to burnout, exhaustion, and even resentment. If these feelings resonate with you, you are not alone. Whether you have a teenager struggling with isolation, a nine-year-old who is struggling academically, or a toddler who hasn’t been in a grocery store let-alone on a playdate – we are all in this together. One of the biggest predictors of a child’s mental health and well-being is their parents’ mental health and well-being. As we enter parenthood, we can lose sight of things we enjoyed doing. The truth is, there are many of us running around with an empty tank right now. It’s hard to stay present for our kids when we feel this way. We may begin to use unhealthy coping mechanisms to help us get through our days. Our mental health can suffer too, which can lead us to act in a way that is not consistent with our parenting values and beliefs. Above all else, our kids want happy, healthy parents. When we shift our perspective to recognize that our wellness impacts our entire family, it doesn’t seem selfish at all to invest in ourselves. When we make our own needs a priority, our kids learn that it’s OK to prioritize their own wellness. Below are some ideas of what we can do to put our wellness first. I hope you find them helpful. Since being perfect is not possible, let’s stop trying. Easier said than done, I know – I am the queen of workaholism and perfectionism, which is actually the thief of joy and often ends up with us doom-scrolling at 2 a.m. We all have strengths, but we can’t be good at everything. When you fail (and you will – we all do), give yourself grace and move on. An example – I have never been a morning person, and I probably never will be. I like staying up late and I get some of my best work done then. My husband and kids aren’t morning people either, so when I found out the bus pick-up time this year was moved up to 7:30 a.m., it threw me for a loop. It took less than a week to realize that getting the kids on the bus just wasn’t worth the stress and anxiety it caused when I could drive less than 10 minutes and drop them off at 9 a.m. I used to beat myself up over things like this, but this year? I just. Don’t. Care. The moral of the story is, play to your strengths, and do what’s In spirit, mind and body, we have your family covered. <strong>Kids</strong> under 3 are free! * Join swim lessons, Parent n’Tot and more! *With purchase of adult membership Trusted by 1,051 families for child care last year Health, Fitness & Aquatics Facility 700 10th Street, Owen Sound • 519-376-0484 Full Day and School Age Child Care Hanover • Kincardine • Owen Sound • Port Elgin • Ripley ymcaowensound.on.ca Health, Fitness & Aquatics • Child Care • Camps Employment • Community Initiatives • Settlement Services greybrucekids.com • 15
Page 1 and 2: WINTER 2021/22 • Volume 11 Issue
Page 3 and 4: FROM THE PUBLISHER Celebrating 10 y
Page 5 and 6: When people do something difficult,
Page 7 and 8: expertise of local professionals fo
Page 9 and 10: that they have shared our magazine
Page 11 and 12: Most of us, as parents, have at one
Page 13: Time to Register for KINDERGARTEN A
Page 17 and 18: ut stick with it. Change is hard fo
Page 19 and 20: THEN NOW CHRISTOPHER PENNINGTON Win
Page 21 and 22: THEN NOW greybrucekids.com • 21
Page 23 and 24: Crouched down - so close to the ear
Page 25 and 26: visitgrey.ca Your online guide to w
Page 27 and 28: Wiarton Kids Den Day Care/Kids Club
Page 29 and 30: Hanover Public Library 519-364-1420
Page 31 and 32: WWW.CAMPCELTIC.CA INFO@CAMPCELTIC.C

Grey-Bruce Kids Winter 2021/22

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