5 Tips To Manage Burnout For The Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome
Being a Mom of a child with Down Syndrome means becoming a Mama Bear. In a world that often doesn’t see their worth we fight.
We fight in the classroom.
We fight at the doctor’s office.
We fight in the workplace.
We fight in the community.
Every morning as soon as our eyes open we advocate for our children with special needs. We try to make the world a better place for them.
It’s exhausting, I know.
I was going to title this post 5 Tips To Avoid Burnout As A Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome but decided against it.
To be honest, if you’re a Mom of a child with special needs I don’t think you can avoid burnout. You can practice every tip I suggest and you can have an awesome support system and chances are at some point you’re still going to experience it.
Burnout doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re human and things have been hard. I decided a much better focus is how to manage burnout as a special needs Mom.
So here are my five tips for Mama Bears to rock this special life and manage burnout.
Tip #1 To Manage Burnout As A Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome: Rest
As Moms we have a lot on our plates. We have so many daily demands. Keep the kids alive, take them to doctor appointments and therapy appointments, put the dishes away, do the laundry... I haven’t even started to get into the stuff we do for our significant others and work obligations!
With so many “To Do’s” on our To Do List we stay up way past our bedtime or get up early to get a head start.
This is not good.
Sleep is SO important! It has multiple benefits including improving our immune system, our memory, and our moods!
If sleep is difficult make sure you are practicing good sleep hygiene. Wake up and go to bed around the same time every day, that includes weekends. Keep electronics out of the bedroom including the television and your phone. Avoid caffeine before bed. Create a bedtime routine. Yes, bedtime routines are not just for the toddler set and they help!
Make getting a good night sleep a priority in your life so you wake up refreshed and ready to take on whatever new challenge the day may bring!
Sleep is a top priority for me! I wake up early so I rarely stay up past 10pm!
Tip #2 To Manage Burnout As A Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome: Find Your People And Meet Regularly
Our family is very important but so aren’t our friendships. Friendships nurture our well being in a way our families just can’t. As with any relationship these friendships must be cared for. This means carving time out of our schedules to get together to reap the benefits of good friends. Your people.
Your people may be diverse. Cultivating a diverse group exposes you to different points of view which in my opinion is a good thing. Different sets of friends help fill in areas of your life where you need support and to connect.
I have friends who have children with special needs and I have friends who have children who do not have special needs. I have friends I made through my kid’s school and extracurricular activities, I have work friends, and I have friends from my childhood.
How often you tend to friendship really depends on you and your friends. Some friends simply just need to check in once a year while others need to check in more frequently. So go ahead! Call that girlfriend and plan a lunch date together. It’s good for you!
Tip #3 To Manage Burnout As A Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome: Identify Your Outlet
Being a Mom and life partner can be exhausting. Some days are harder than others. When Mom is burnt out nobody is happy! One of the things I have found to help combat Mom burnout is finding my outlet.
My outlets tend to be creative. I like to find old and forgotten pieces of furniture and refurbish them into fabulous one of a kind pieces. When I’m creating it’s almost like a form of meditation for me. I’ve found this blog is also an outlet and reading a good book.
Refurbishing furniture, working on a blog, and reading may not be the outlets for you. Some friends tell me their outlet is running and exercising while others find knitting or painting pictures is their outlet. There is no right or wrong here. Your outlet is based on you but the important thing is to identify your outlet and make time for it!
Tip #4 To Manage Burnout As A Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome: Get Out In Nature And MOVE
Nothing clears my mind like the outdoors. I feel more focused, calm, and refreshed. I like to take walks and hikes in our neighborhood but Mama Bears, you can reap the benefits of nature just by sitting on your front porch and doing five minutes of deep breathing.
Enjoying a walk in the fall.
Tip #5 To Manage Burnout As A Mom Of A Child With Down Syndrome: Unplug
Listen, I love my phone, computer, television, and other electrical devices as much as the next Mom. But here is the thing...these things are stressing us out!
Now, I am not saying technology is ALL bad. I mean…I have a blog for crying out loud! I’m simply saying we need to make sure we’re unplugging on a regular basis.
Facebook is a great way to connect with friends and family, but you have to remember everyone is putting their “best foot forward” and showing you what they want you to see. Otherwise, after twenty minutes of scrolling Facebook you are convinced everyone else’s life is fabulous. A life full of vacations, new and shiny stuff, and a perpetually happy family.
Oh and let’s talk about Pinterest for a minute. I love Pinterest as much as the next gal but again, after twenty minutes I am convinced my home needs a major update, my cooking is subpar, and in general my life is just not “Pinterest-worthy”.
Life is not Facebook special or Pinterest worthy every day and that’s okay.
Unplug regularly. Your psyche, family, and life will be better for it.
There you have it Mama Bears! My five tips to survive and thrive as a special needs Mom! I hope you found something to help you rock this special life!
Mama Bears I hope you found this post helpful. If you did enjoy this post then consider checking out…
Making Friends And Maintaining Friendships For The Special Needs Mom
5 Easy Morning Routine Ideas For The Special Needs Mom
Let’s rock this special life!
If you're looking for ways to connect then be sure to find me on Facebook and Pinterest! You can also become part of the Mama Bear Crew and join my email list. I’ll send you an email at least once a month AND you’ll get exclusive access to the Mama Bear Crew page which has an IEP goal bank, IEP glossary, and an About Me Medical page.
