How strong are you?

We are some of the strongest people that I know!

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! (Are you hearing Kelly Clarkson's song in your head?) It's true! As parents of children with mental illness we go through so much with our kids. Sometimes I would tell God that I was pretty strong already and didn't need to get any stronger! Little did I know...

You know, this is true for our kids as well. They are going through some pretty terrible stuff. Some of it is normal kid stuff, and some of it is so far out there that it is hard to imagine how they must be feeling. Sometimes in my moments of sanity I would tell my daughter how strong she was and how proud I was of her for how she was handing things (even though from the outside it looked like a disaster). Even when things were tough, she was using all of the coping skills that she had learned and was trying, but it was really overwhelming. She was doing the best that she could.

I think that we as parents probably look like that too. We are using all of our coping skills to get through but it probably still looks like a disaster from the outside. Maybe even feels that way on the inside. This is why it is SO IMPORTANT that we take time for ourselves, to fill ourselves up and replenish our reserves. If you have blocks of time that you can set aside for yourself, that's great! More power to you! For a lot of us, it is near impossible to find a moment to do that. But even then, when you are in the bathroom, just look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you are doing the best that you can do. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Maybe wash your face or just freshen up a little bit. Every little thing makes a difference.

Blessings,
Kara