Whether you are a parent of littles or teens, you know parental self-care is hard to come by. Sometimes you need a reminder to prioritize yourself. After all, if you don’t take care of the captain, who will guide the ship? Let this collection self-care quotes for parents serve as your gentle reminder that self-care is not just a wish, it’s a must.
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Self-Care for Wellness
When you have kids, working quality self-care into your day can be a serious challenge. It’s common to put yourself last, and often, your self-care routine can fall off your radar.
But the thing is, if you don’t take care of you, how well do you think you are going to take care of others? I’m sure you know from experience that when your self-care gets off track, you get off track. It sometimes results in a short temper with your kids, a less-structured routine, and maybe even a “just get through the day” mentality.
And although it can be really hard to find time for self-care in your busy, stressy schedule, when you manage to make it a priority (and keep it a priority), that busy, stressy schedule feels little easier and your quality of life gets a little better. And more room opens up for continued good self-care. Resulting in a better you.
Making Time for Self-Care
When you are feeling well, you do a better job at most things, right?
Like when you have a good night’s sleep, you tend to have more patience, a clearer head, and better coordination versus when you’re running on 3 hours of sleep.
OK, I know you are thinking, “I get all that but there just isn’t time!”
I know you are busy. Parents are the busiest people on the planet. And yet…your kids are depending on you to be your best you. And your kids aside, YOU are depending on you to be your best you. (There’s a quote for ya, lol!)
The thing is, we are all gifted the same number of hours in the day. You decide how to spend those hours. You decide what to prioritize, and that includes taking care of yourself.
In other words, you have to make time for self-care.
Why Self-Care is Important for Parents
Self-care is important for all humans, but it is especially crucial for parents.
Research shows that people who engage in self care activities experience less stress and higher quality of life. Check out the stats on the infographic below to see why various forms of self-care can have a positive impact on your health.
Taking Care of Yourself as a Parent
The funny thing about parental self-care is that so many parents put themselves last. They believe that they are doing what’s best for their family when they put their kids first. It’s honestly such a good mission.
But in actuality, what happens is that you end up parenting from a place of stress and unhappiness, which can negatively impact your relationships with your kids.
On the flipside, when you regularly prioritize your own self-care, you position yourself to take really good care of your family. When you are more centered and feeling good, you approach parenting tasks with a calmer energy. Problems get solved more quickly and you ultimately experience less stress.
Self-Care Strategies for Parents
There are lots of different ways to take care of yourself, from emotional self-care, to spiritual self-care, to social self-care. And there are lots of resources out there for parents. Here are a few posts and products that I recommend to get you started on your parental self-care journey.
My Top Self-Care Post Recommendations
- The Ultimate Self-Care Checklist for Parents
- 7 Easy Self-Care Strategies for Busy Parents
- What is a Bullet Journal? (And How to Start One)
- 21 Spectacular Self-Care Gifts for Parents
- 20+ Outstanding Subscription Boxes for Women
- Best Anti-Aging Skin Care Products for Your 40s
My Top Self-Care Product Recommendations
- SmoothieBox Smoothie Subscription [Get $15 off with code CENTEREDPARENT]
- Promptly Journals Self-Care Journals [Free Shipping on $50+ with code FREESHIP]
- Vegin’ Out Vegan Meal Delivery Service [Get $20 off first order with code SHARE20]
22 Self-Care Quotes for Parents
If you’re like me, you logically get that a regular self-care routine is important and makes sense. But maybe before you take action, you need something to hit you on an emotional level, too. Well, dear parent, this collection of self-care quotes for parents is just what you need. (You could also use this free self-care checklist, designed just for parents.)
Self-Care Quotes for Parents
This set of self-care quotes within the collection will resonate with parents and caregivers of all kinds. And when you are a parent or caregiver, you don’t clock out of the job – it’s 24/7. So it’s paramount you find time to take care of yourself and make sure you are doing OK. Nurturing others humans is really hard work and while it can be rewarding, it can be draining, too. These self-care quotes for parents are great reminders that you deserve good self-care.
- Taking care of you is just as important.
“People who smack you down by saying that ‘parenting isn’t about you’ are mostly wrong. Parenting isn’t JUST about you, but some of it is: Your health. Your happiness. Those are still important. Take care of you, too, or the whole damn thing falls apart.” – Arianna Bradford
- Having you tried turning it off and then on again?
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamont
- Good self-care should fill your internal well.
“It’s important to use self-care strategies that are backed by research – where the prime objective is to improve your mental health and well-being, not empty your wallet.” – Hayley Wilds
- Your special needs kiddo needs a healthy you the most.
“Of all the needs of a special needs child, a whole healthy parent is the most important.” – Sabrina Ransom
- Is your glass refillable?
“Half-empty, half-full, refillable. Which glass is yours?” – Wild Peace for Parents
- Self-care for parents is crucial.
“Self–care for parents is crucial. Not only do you have a lot on your plate, being solely responsible for tiny humans, but you also have to teach your kids how to navigate life’s challenges. So, it would seem that your self-care routine has to work double-time.” – Hayley Wilds
- You deserve self-care.
“Attention caring human! You’ve been spreading hope, comfort, and kinship all week long. Treat yourself to big doses of love and rest this weekend.” – Heal With Play
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- Therapy is AMAZING self-care.
“You do not need to be in a crisis or hit rock bottom to deserve therapy.” – Mao Beckett
- 4 steps to parental self-care.
“Parental self-care in 4 steps. Step 1: Accept that self-care isn’t selfish, Step 2: Know that modeling self-care is good for your kids, Step 3: Prioritize yourself and use your supports, Step 4: Engage in self-care that restores you.” – Hayley Wilds
- Your kids learn by watching you.
“Our children cannot fully internalize the idea they should advocate for what they need unless we do the same for ourselves.” – Dr. Nichelle Haynes
- Emotional self-care helps with emotion regulation.
“Realize that your #1 job as a parent is providing physical and emotional safety, and that includes managing your own emotions.” – Dr. Laura Markham
- Taking care of yourself helps you take better care of others.
“When you prioritize your self-care, you set yourself up to take better care of others. Your kids will benefit from your parental wellness.” – Hayley Gallagher
- Model self-care for your kids.
“Teach your kids good self-care by modeling it for them. They will learn to honor and respect themselves, and prioritize their health because you prioritize yours.” – Hayley Wilds
Self-Care Quotes for Women
These self-care quotes for women offer up some good inspiration for mothers. Mamas have an especially tricky responsibility when it comes to raising kids and practicing self-care. In the US, the cultural expectations for mothers seem higher and somewhat unattainable. Mixed messages like ‘Go for that career, but nurture those kids, too.’ or ‘Put yourself last, but somehow keep it together and stay strong.’ really make it tough for mothers to think they deserve to prioritize their own self-care. These self-care quotes for women speak to those unfairly imposed standards.
- Allow yourself to be at your best.
“The Importance of Self-Care: Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” – Katie Reed
- Inspire your own future self.
“Imagine the best version of yourself and show up everyday as her.” – Believe Love Strength
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- You deserve time and attention.
“Your mental health deserves time and attention.” – Center for Creative Counseling
- Don’t wait to ask for a break.
“When a mom asks for a break, she’s usually light years past needing one.” – Christine Derengowski Writer
Funny Self-Care Quotes
This handful of funny self-care quotes are actually mostly funny self-care memes, but the point is they deserved to be shared.
I take self-care very seriously. But I also know that it’s really difficult to practice regular self-care as a parent. And laughing about that struggle definitely can help ease the pressure we put on ourselves. Plus, laughter is an amazing self-care activity that is good for your health. 🙂 I hope you enjoy these funny self-care quotes.
- Prove me wrong.
“Self-care isn’t selfish. Change my mind.” – The Centered Parent
- When taking care of yourself is a challenge.
“Taking care of yourself is an essential part of taking care of others. The healthier the tree, the better the fruit it can offer.” – Lindsey Wells
- Give those self-care strategies a big old hug.
“Me. Setting boundaries. Self-care. Rest days.” – Smith and Saint
For more awesome stuff like parenting books and amazing learning toys for your kids, check out our Parenting Resources page.
- The Child says the darnedest things.
“The Child is thinking that it is wise to practice self-care.” – Parent Self-Care
- When things are falling apart around you but you pretend it’s not because you haven’t been taking care of yourself.
“Me without self-care. This is fine.” – The Centered Parent
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