Tips to Raise a Family

Family obligations can really put pressure on a person. You may be raising your family of young ones while working either part or full-time. Even if you are a stay-at-home parent, you are probably trying to keep up with the demands of a house, along with taking care of the needs of your husband. This alone is enough for one person.

What happens if your parents need help? They raised you and took care of you, so you may feel like it is your responsibility to take care of them now when they need extra help. Though this may just mean taking them shopping on a weekly basis or even just mowing their lawn, there are times when it can become a full-time job on its own.

They may need someone to help them cook or clean. Even if they won't say it, they may need even more help. They may need someone to stay with them on a regular basis so that they can continue to live at home. You may even think about moving them into your home, though you may also struggle with the thought of getting rid of the home that you were raised in.

Because of this, many caregivers get burnt out. They try to do it all, and no matter how hard they try, it quickly becomes too much. If you want to help your parents while continuing to raise your own family, here are some tips to help.

Don't be afraid to ask others for help. No matter how much you think this, you don't have to do it all on your own. If you have siblings, make them chip in. If not, is there another relative that would be happy to help here and there? Maybe you have a single aunt who would enjoy moving in with your parents to really give you some assistance!

Ask for help around YOUR home too. No matter how hard it is to ask for help, you need to do it. Your spouse can pick up some of the slack when you are over helping your parents. What about your children? Are they old enough to do a load of laundry after school? Can they drive your younger child to practice? You don't have to put it all on your shoulders (and you shouldn't)! 

Even if you have to pay for it! There are times when it is going to be easier to ask someone else for help. Can you pay someone to mow your parent's lawn on a regular basis? They may have a neighbor boy who is trying to save some money for something. Maybe you can hire someone to do your lawn to take some of the pressure off.

What about a maid? Could you hire someone to do some quick cleaning and maybe some meal planning at your parent's home? What about yours? It may be worth the extra money, just to have some of the pressure taken off of your shoulders.  

You can also hire a caregiver to help. As it gets harder and harder for your parents to continue to live at home, you may want to look into a caregiving agency. Many offer customizable plans depending on your parent's needs. You may just need a daily companion while you are at work. Maybe you need someone to stay the night, just in case.

You might also just want to look into respite care. Respite care is part-time help so that you can continue to live your life. Maybe you are going away on vacation for a few days and need someone to stay there. This care, often offered by agencies, is for those who just need a break to unwind.  

Don't forget about yourself. Even though it seems like there is no time left in the day, the truth is that you need to take care of yourself. If you don't, you aren't going to be able to take care of anyone else, including your family and your parents.

So, make it a habit to take a walk after work. Eat as healthy as possible to keep your strength up. Find ways to unwind, whether you watch horror movies after your kids are in bed or you decide to read a chapter in your book before you fall asleep.

The truth is, that no matter how hard it is, you are going to need to ask for help. You probably have many relatives who would be glad to help you. Some might even be there for you more than you ever imagined. That being said, if you don't, you may want to hire someone to help. Even if you just hire someone to mow the lawn and clean the house, you will be glad that you gave yourself that much extra time to do other things that need to be done.