Warrior Women - Empowering Women, Writers, and Dreamers

Get extra support while caregiving. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/7/21/what-is-caregiver-stress-syndrome ) Caregiving can be very rewarding. However, it’s a reality that the extra responsibilities and time commitment are difficult to manage. Caregiver Stress Syndrome sets in when these additional demands leave you feeling chronically exhausted - physically, mentally and emotionally. Experiencing this condition is not uncommon.  The key is to make your own health a priority so you can continue to provide care to your loved one. To do this, it is likely you’ll need some assistance from others. Consider enlisting support from these groups:  Family : Help with tasks like cleaning the house, dropping off a meal or providing transportation to a doctor’s appointment can free up time for self-care.  Friends : Be intentional about connecting with your support network. It may not be possible to attend book group, but you could still call in for the first few min...

Easy practices to help your little ones prep for the upcoming school year. Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/7/19/getting-kids-into-a-routine ) With a new school year approaching, ease your children’s transition from lazy summer days to their regular fall schedule using the tips below:  Re-establish Sleep Patterns. After long hours of daylight, staying up late to game or binge watch TV or irregular schedules due to travel, kids may have gotten out of school-time sleeping mode. Start the process now by setting bedtimes and morning alarms, then moving both up in 15 or 30 minutes increments every few days. For every time change, add a new element of evening or morning routines such as bathing/showering, choosing outfits, reading time or pet care. Visit the Sleep Fitness Toolkit for resources to help you get better sleep. Reboot Eating Habits. Activities, meals on the go and special treats can impact healthy eating habits and if the kids have been home all day this su...

Travel tips as pandemic restrictions begin to ease. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/7/8/traveling-safely-this-summer ) With nearly 50% of the U.S. population fully vaccinated, COVID-19 restrictions are beginning to ease around the country. The opportunity to travel again is exciting but staying safe is still important, to protect your health and those around you. Here are travel tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you are fully vaccinated: During : The CDC recommends wearing a mask while traveling in public transportation areas. Follow all state and local recommendations for wearing masks and social distancing.  After : When you return home, you do not need to get tested or self-quarantine if you’ve been fully vaccinated but do self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Breakthrough cases, while rare, are still possible - the top five most common symptoms among fully vaccinated people are headache, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and los...

  Ideas for a fun and festive holiday. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/6/30/family-fun-for-the-fourth ) Here are a few fun and festive suggestions to help you make the most of the upcoming holiday with your family and friends. Get Creative in the Kitchen : Start the day off in the holiday spirit with a make-your-own red, white and blue breakfast . Or turn your favorite dessert recipe patriotic by decorating a cake, brownies, cookies or chocolate covered pretzels together.  Go Hiking : With many pandemic restrictions lifted, take advantage of spending more time outdoors. A great way to celebrate the 4th is a group hike to get out and enjoy what nature has to offer.   Honor Military Members : Creating a care package for troops currently serving can be an easy and fun activity for the whole family. Everyone can also help craft a thank you card to a veteran that you know.  Build Your Own Water Park : Beat the summer heat and celebrate the holiday ...

  Help get your fur babies prepared for you to leave the home again. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/6/23/preparing-pets-if-youre-headed-back-to-the-office ) Though you may be excited to head back to your workplace and get out to do more activities, after all the time you’ve spent at home during the pandemic, your pet may be less than thrilled. There are several easy things you can do to start preparing your pet for longer periods of time by themselves. Establish a New Schedule . Pets thrive on routine so begin the adjustment as soon as possible. Start the day earlier to re-establish your dog’s morning walk time or play with your cat indoors to wear them out. Reduce outdoor breaks and stretch evening feeding time later and later. Creating a new, consistent timetable will make pets more resilient when you begin to leave the house more often or for full days. Create Routines . Pets recognize details in your daily schedule, like when you’re getting ready to make food...

Simple tips to help children be more accepting of others. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/5/26/celebrating-diversity-with-children ) Diversity is part of what makes the world beautiful. Some differences can include age, race, religious beliefs or gender. Celebrating diversity means learning from and respecting others, valuing differences, finding common ground and rejecting stereotypes. It is critical to teach children the importance of appreciating differences, so they can have positive interactions with others and build them up.  Here are some simple ways that you can help them value diversity: Set a Good Example . Remember that kids are always listening and watching. Set a good example and model kindness in your own daily life. Be aware of the way that you talk to other adults or make jokes that encourage stereotypes. Even though it may seem like harmless fun, it can undo what you’ve taught them about respecting others since your actions speak louder than words...

  Learn two easy ways to cope with worry and feel a greater sense of calm. (Written for http://www.wellbeing.place/home/2021/5/20/two-tips-to-break-the-worry-cycle ) It is common for people to worry about things. Worry can stem from trying to eliminate uncertainty in the future by attempting to problem solve for every possible outcome. It can become a frustrating cycle, however, when your worries, anxieties or doubts become excessive, intrusive and constant.  The worry cycle can begin with a small “what if?” concern popping into your head. You then immediately start to focus on the thought and turn your mind’s attention to predicting possible scenarios so you can find solutions, even if you know the situation is irrational. The longer you think about the worrisome idea, the harder it becomes to view things from a realistic perspective that hasn’t been blown out of proportion by your fears. Fortunately, there are tools available to break the worry cycle, so you can better cope....