Whether you’re a patriarch or a matriarch – you’re looking after the family. That’s an enormous responsibility and one you can’t shy away from.
It’s going to cost time and money, but if you’re in a position of command in a family, you need to look after each and every member of the family in your charge. This could be your 12 year old son, or even your 90 year old mother. If it is impossible to devote your time to looking after your family, you need to look into day-care for the kids and senior care for elderly relatives, or maybe a medical care alert service that will let you know if there is a problem. It’s on you to arrange this so your family can be looked after and supported when you aren’t around.Their safety and care are of importance, and it falls on your shoulders.
How do you do it, though? You have to fight hard and evolve beyond stress.
Stress is going to come at you from all angles, and you are going to need to develop serious coping mechanisms. Work life and personal issues can build up and cause havoc – that’s not going to make you efficient at caring for your family. At all. Sometimes we have to devote our strength to higher causes and do things for the greater good – sometimes you end up in that position and caring for others is exactly that position.
Don’t let stress dictate your life – more importantly, don’t let it run or ruin your interactions among family members. It’s never worth snapping over built up issues – especially with young kids or elderly relatives. In both cases, they didn’t ask to be in your care – it’s simply your responsibility. Find ways to cope and decompress because your work doesn’t end when your clock off from your day job.
Find ways to bring the whole family together – from a sit down meal to board games, it’s important to carve out quality time with the family. This is a good way to settle down after work, as well and everyone can enjoy a good board game.
If it is impossible to devote your time to looking after your family, you need to look into day-care for the kids and senior care for elderly relatives. It’s on you to arrange this so your family can be looked after and supported when you aren’t around.
It’s important to speak to and communicate with your family, so you understand their needs. If you’re driving ahead on your own and commanding everyone, people are going to get frustrated. Every single member of your family is a unique individual that deserves to have their needs met and their wants fulfilled. Communicate and arrange activities and ideas that can make your family happy at all times!
Here are some fun ways to spend quality family time with your family, be it elders or kids!
1) Watch a funny or inspirational, feel-good Christmas or 4th July movie together
2) Go out and do some gardening or take a small hike
3) Play a board game together
4) Take your parents to a nature park
5) Have fun in the swimming pool
6) Celebrate occasions with gusto, invite friends and family over to brighten the spirits!
7) Enroll in an activity with your parents and/or your kids so you can bond better
8) Cook together and eat together
9) Spend a day at a family-friendly theme park
10) Spend some time volunteering together for a good cause!
If you’re struggling at any point in your role of looking after your family, you either need to step back and look at the big picture to find meaning in this, or you need to open up and discuss your fears and stress. Keeping it all in is only going to hurt you in the long run. Open up and seek help when you need it. It’s a big responsibility and you need to be at your best to succeed and do right by your family.
