Time Out!

Recharging Your Baby's Batteries

By Gina Roberts-Grey, LCSW

How many times have you felt overwhelmed or mentally exhausted? You run from soccer practices to the grocery store while juggling budgets and the schedules of each member of your family. Between life's daily rituals of balancing family, home and often work, parents need a chance to recharge themselves mentally, physically and emotionally. It is vital to a parent's sanity to allow for downtime.

Time spent relaxing, enjoying a frivolous afternoon or lounging while reading the Sunday newspaper are many favorite ways to recharge your batteries and be better prepared to manage another typically hectic day. Our infants and young children require a similar opportunity to collect themselves and recharge their inner spirits. Because your baby is absorbing so much information and constantly processing his surroundings, his mind is working at frantic speeds.

His world is a cornucopia of sensory delights as he constantly processes the sights, sounds and smells he's exposed to. A day filled with running errands for the two of you is just as mentally exhausting for your child as it is for you. While your mind is racing with lists of tasks and staying on schedule, his mind is a buzz, taking in the experience and trying to learn from it.

Many parents wonder how to balance their family's lives and manage to keep their baby mentally fresh. There are a few simple ways to ensure your young child is always at his peak and ready to face whatever the day has in store.

One of the easiest ways to recharge your baby is to pay attention to the amount of stimulus he experiences. Track the time he spends exposed to highly stimulating situations. Playgroups, daycare, social outings and an environment rich for learning are all very

Want to see more?

• Coping with the Stress of New Parenthood
• Mommy's Day Out
• Talk about it!