Self-Care: Family Style

Find out why self-care isn’t just important for individuals, but for families too as we look at Self-Care: Family Style.

Though society may say that self-care is self-indulgent and is more about pampering, we’re not talking about doing family pedicures here.  True self-care is essentially caring for the mind, body, and soul with intentionality. This may sound like a lofty goal that can only be done when there is time, when we’re not in a crisis, or just during a different season.  And yet, self-care can be practiced by anyone, at any time, despite their current season and is essential for managing difficult times and difficult emotions.  Self-care will look different for the new mom than the mom of teenagers. The child with lots of physical energy and the one with physical limitations.  The social butterfly and the introvert. Simply put, it may take some modification, but more importantly, the commitment to self-care is what will make it effective for you.  

As we dish up ideas Self Care: Family Style, many of the activities listed below may be things you already do.  But what if, instead, you did them with the intent of caring for the wellness of your family, as a family.  Adding intentionality to these activities opens up opportunities for conversation, self-awareness and personal development, connection, and modeling of self-care practices to manage stressors and challenges to emotional health.  

Try doing the following during your family self-care activities:  

1.  Don’t spend any money

The benefits of self-care to individuals and families do not need to come at a cost.  A literal cost.  All of the ideas listed below can be done for free.  It may challenge you to be a little creative, but what’s bad about that? Nothing.  Make it part of the fun.    

2.  Be present

It’ll hard to ask your teenager in 5 years to put their cell phone away and join the family activity if that’s what they’re seeing you do.  Model for your family what you want to see when you spend time together practicing self-care.   Put the screens away.  Silence the notifications.  Write down your to do’s for after the activity so you’re not thinking about them.  Notice the sounds on the walk.  The smell of the ingredients.  Notice the smiles and laughter, and even the grumpy expressions.  Speak to what’s going on in the moment.  Just focus on being in the here and now.   

3.  Be Curious

Even Einstein said, “I have no special talents.  I am only passionately curious.”  Be curious about what your family members are experiencing.  Be curious about what’s distracting you from being present (without judgment).  Be curious about what’s going on in your child’s brain as they learning something new.  This doesn’t mean interrogating everyone incessantly about their experience, but asking open-ended questions that open the doors for sharing.  

Below is a list of ideas for families that follow the 6 categories of self-care: physical, emotional, mental/intellectual, spiritual, social, and practical.  Check out the free printable of ideas at the bottom of the page.  

 

PHYSICAL SELF-CARE

Go for a walk

Take a nap

Go swimming

Have a dance party

Go for a bike ride

Eat fruits and vegetables

Put the screens away, get outside & move your bodies

Play outdoor games in the backyard or at a park

Do Yoga

Exercise together

Build an obstacle course

 

EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE

Watch “Inside Out”

Acknowledge and talk about emotions

Practice taking a break or taking some breaths

Journal

Write letters or create a time capsule

Practice patience

Make of poster of positive affirmation

Do imaginative play

Make visions boards (individual or family)

Draw, paint, or do a craft

 

INTELLECTUAL

Draw/write stories or play “Story Cubes”

Read a book together

Learn about entrepreneurship and money management

Find characters in the clouds

Play a card or board game

Be curious together and learn something new

Do a puzzle

Learn basic phrases in another language

Build something together

 

SPIRITUAL

Read/act out scriptures

Go on a hike or nature walk

Do a kid-friendly meditation

Talk about who needs our prayers & pray together

Watch scripture story videos

Have quiet time to journal

Create a gratitude jar/wall

 

SOCIAL/RELATIONAL

Facetime family or friends

Cheer each other on

Plan a donation drive

Host a neighborhood BBQ

Use conversation starter cards at dinnertime

Make cookies & thank you cards for neighbors/friends

Have a bake-off or cooking competition

Write letters to future selves

Do random acts of kindness

Go on a photo scavenger hunt

Create a family motto or a family crest

Have one-on-one or special time

Tell stories about when kids were younger

Look through scrapbooks

Ask “Would you rather” questions

Write letters to each other

 

PRACTICAL

Keep to a morning and evening routing

De-clutter and donate items

Plant and care or a garden

Plan & eat healthy meals

Simplify

 

Get FREE printable for family self-care ideas here