Ways I take care of myself as a Grandparent raising a grandchild

I certainly didn't expect to be raising a child at this age, even though my youngest is only 11.  Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be having those late night feeding and diaper changes.  I thought those were over several years ago.

The late night feedings and diaper changes are supposed to be done with in this stage of my life, but I find myself back there in taking care of my granddaughter.

At times I am overwhelmed physically, emotionally and to a certain extent financially.

I wake up in pain everyday.  Some days I have to push through, trying to make sure that my youngest son does not see the pain that I am in.  Emotionally, I am on a roller-coaster.  Some days I am angry at the situation that  my granddaughter's parents have found themselves in.  Some days I am frustrated because I feel that they should know better at their age. It's emotionally draining, so I know how important it is to take care of myself to be able to take care of my son and granddaughter.  Some days I just go and go and not give a thought to taking care of myself or feeding my soul and I know that is not good.  I have found ways to feed my soul and body to prevent being totally depleted.

My days start off with oil-pulling and a very healthy and balanced breakfast.  Eating well is crucial for me, not only because I deal with health issues, but also because I believe that what you put into your body creates the framework for how your body feels and behaves.

Recently I received a call from a gentleman who I realized was a great resource.  He directed me to a local grandparents raising grandchildren support group.  This is a great arena for support and help, as well as making new friends.

As an artist it has been a challenge to engage in my painting and other creations. Hobbies and relaxation are not luxuries. Carving out time for rest and relaxation is essential to avoid burnout and depression. So I use “me time to really nurture myself.  Since I home-school, one of the things we love to do during the day is yoga, even if it is just for 15 minutes.  We found a great lady named Adriene on Youtube who has some awesome videos.  We love her because her videos encourage deep breathing and meditation, something we often forget to do, but which enhances our day.

I also love gardening.  It is not just a hobby for me.  I grow a lot of my own food, so it is essential to survival.  As an Herbalist, I also have to get out in nature.  It is an integral part of my life.

One of the things I am now looking into is childcare for my granddaughter.  She is at the age where she need the interaction with kids her age.  It will also give me more flexibility throughout the day to get school done, plus to go to my own doctor appointments.

At the end of the day, I love to do Abhyanga, a self-massage, using an oil blend with essential oils.

During this time of the year I also keep on hand my Winter Wellness tea, which I also drink throughout the year.  It is something that I think everyone should have in their wellness arsenal.


If you would like to read more of my work and how I cope with chronic illness with all the challenges of normal life, you can find me here.

Fatigue is something that I battle everyday.  I love using essential oils for fighting fatigue because they don't give me a high, and then make me crash a few hours later.

I also use essential oils to cope with stress.  The stresses of chronic illness are tough enough.  Couple that with taking care of a baby, and I need all the help I can get.


Vegging out in front of the television is not a norm for me, but if I do veg out in front of the television I like to make it worth my while.  These are some of my favorite inspirational clips from some of my favorite movies that help to keep me going on.

Until later.....

Duty calls.