The Sandwich Generation: Tips to Keep from Losing Yourself
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When you became an adult, you likely focused on your education, career, and starting a family. Being a new parent and learning how to manage a young family takes a while but in time things settle down and life finds a rhythm. Just when you think things are running smoothly, you may begin to see your parents needing more and more support. Before long, you are juggling work, sports, and your parent’s health care. In the blink of an eye, you are overwhelmed and start to lose yourself.
STOP!
Amongst the stresses and strains of life, supporting kids and aging parents, there needs to be space to care for your physical and mental health. Here are some tips to keep from losing yourself while supporting your family.
Tip- Refuse to be a martyr
First and foremost, there will always be needs and you can’t possibly fulfill them all. Allowing yourself to feel as though your worth and value are tied to how much you support others will crush your spirit. Also, there are not enough thanks in the world for the amount of work that goes into raising children and caring for parents at the same time. Refuse to fall into the martyr trap and run yourself into the ground. Set reasonable limits and do the best you can within reason for your situation.
Tip- Get the right help
Every home has unique needs. There is no cookie-cutter type of support. What one household needs to support the ‘sandwich,’ another may not. Don’t compare or judge the support someone gets. You may need daycare for your kids or a day program for your mom, either one is perfect if it’s perfect for you. If you need a personal assistant so you can be the primary caregiver to your family, go for it. If you want in-home health care so you can work outside the home, that’s great too. Design the life you need without shame or guilt.
When my father moved in with us, he was able to do a lot of things for himself. He gradually got worse and after he had surgery, everything went downhill quickly. We had to hire someone to come in and help during the day. I worked at home but we still had 2 children at home. Having home health was invaluable!
Tip- Get away regularly
You may feel guilty leaving your children when they don’t see you that often or feel badly leaving a parent with dementia or other illness. Don’t! Your child and your parent will be better off when you are well-rested and your mental health is strong. Build in routine opportunities to get away to recharge and refresh yourself so you can be the type of support your family needs.
We went on vacation while my Dad was living with us. It took some coordination as we had the home health aide coming in as well as a babysitter for my daughter. We had a nice time, and there were no emergencies at home during that trip.
Conclusion
Losing yourself can happen quickly when you’re sandwiched between your aging parents and your kids. Take care of yourself. Be mindful of what you need for support and personal care, and make yourself a priority.
Loving Life — The Reboot!
Dominique
This article provides general information and discussion about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this article, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.
5 Comments
Jeanine Byers
Your graphics are SO amazing!!! I am in love with them. But your advice is spot on, too. Caregivers can be the worst when it comes to making time for self care because they are so concerned about the person who needs their care. And yet, self care is more crucial for them than for the rest of us, when it really is important for everyone. Btw, I love the way you have an eBook for each blog post. Very impressive!
DEB ANDREWS
I love your blogs and the commen sense they give. Thank you for sharing.
Dominique
Thank you so much! Have a wonderful weekend!
Rachel Lavern
I enjoyed reading your tips.
It is all the circle of life. So many people are rearing their children while simultaneously tending to their aging parents. Taking care of an aging parent can have a lot of similarity to taking care of our young children. We do have to remember that we and our emotions are important in all of that. It is a little easier when we accept support.
Angie Vallejo
I’m part of the Sandwich generation, and I have started writing about my personal experiences. These were great reminders!