Mums tend to have incredibly busy lives. Even if they don’t have a job outside of the home, they are quite often the primary caregiver for their children, which is a job in itself. Throw in additional caregiving duties to this, such as caring for elderly relatives, and it can be overwhelming at times. If you do find yourself in this position, here are some tactics you can use to help ease the burden.

Get Organized

Organization will be your best friend, especially if you are caring for two different generations. Whether you keep a paper diary or a digital one, noting everything down, from after school clubs and parent-teacher meetings to when medications are due, doctor appointments and sessions where you have respite care for elderly relatives. You could even add your meal plans, so you know what to pick up at the supermarket.  It will keep you on time, in the right place and give you an idea of how much spare time you have each day, which can be useful for grabbing some time for yourself. 

Engage with your elderly relative

Caring for someone is so much more than meeting their physical needs – it is about engaging with them on a human level as well. When you are busy, and stressed, this can be incredibly challenging, as you are just trying to complete all of the tasks they need to for a basic level of care, and if there are any issues such as dementia, this can be made a little harder again. However, your relative is so much more than their body – their mind needs stimulating as well. 

Ask for help 

Sometimes, it can all get a little bit too much, and when it comes to

caring for your kids and your elderly relatives, it’s important to remember that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but actually a sign of strength. Just getting on with it can not only be damaging for your own mental health but maybe doing your loved ones a disservice as the care that you may be giving them is below standard. Whether you ask another relative or a friend to help you out or get in touch with professionals and ask for care for carers, it is essential to get help if and when you need it.

Look after yourself

When you are busy looking after kids, relatives and running a home, mums often put themselves at the bottom of the list for care. As we said above, it doesn’t just affect us, but our loved ones as well. Make sure you are taking the time to eat healthily, get enough rest and do things that not only help you to recharge your batteries but that you enjoy as well. 

Sadly, achieving this balance can be a challenge when it is just our children that we have to take care of, and adding ageing relatives to the mix can further complicate things. With that in mind, it’s essential to make sure that you don’t overload yourself or take on too much. Also, do your best to set aside time for yourself to rest or complete a hobby as well, no matter how busy you are as a mom or carer.