Anyone who believes "Parenting is easy" probably hasn't experienced it firsthand. And, to top that, if you’re a father with arthritis then buckle up for an all-new rollercoaster ride. Apart from your daily responsibilities, you’ve to take care of your health, manage your joint pain, and find ways to juggle between your professional responsibility, personal life, and health. In case you’ve been recently diagnosed with arthritis and have a child or if you’ve arthritis and are planning to welcome a little one soon, this article will be your go-to bible for navigating life as a father with arthritis.
1) Be Compassionate with Yourself First
As a parent, we tend to put too much pressure on ourselves. However, when you’re dealing with such an unpredictable condition like arthritis, it's of paramount importance to not take extreme pressure or stress. There will be many times when your children’s expectations won’t be met.
So, how do you let go of things and be compassionate with yourself? The answer is simple - Don’t be too hung up on things. This is the most important aspect in parenting with arthritis. When your children feel disappointed because of a cancelled plan due to your joint pain, there are high chances of you ending up with the blame and facing the brunt. While you need to acknowledge others’ feelings, especially of your little ones, it’s equally important to be gentle and loving with yourself as well. So, acknowledge your intent & efforts and be compassionate with yourself. Only then, you’ll be able to overcome the guilt and put in the same effort for the next outing.
2) Know Your Condition Better
The more you understand about your arthritis condition type, its symptoms, causes, effects, and ways to manage it, the better you’ll be able to explain it to your loved ones and yourself. Being a father is a thankless job, but it doesn’t need to be a tiring task either. When you know your condition better, you can predict things and gauge how & when to plan outings with your family. Yes, last-minute arthritis flare-ups might derail the plans, but the chances of such flare-ups are quite low. So, find out all the intricacies of your arthritis condition and manage your daily tasks seamlessly.
3) Communicate With Your Kids
Depending on your child's age, sit them down and talk to them about your condition. Children these days are extremely sharp and have stronger grasping power. The most crucial part while talking to your children about arthritis pain is what and how you explain it to them. For example, you cannot tell an 8-year-old about your arthritis condition bluntly and be too direct. He might not be able to understand the condition at all and would end up assuming things - leading to more challenges and conflicts between you both. So, make your child understand about the condition in a warm, compassionate, kind, and easy-to-understand way. Don’t need to overshare. As and when your baby grows up, you can keep explaining to them about your arthritis condition in-detail, bit by bit. But, the initial explanation needs to be simple and easy to understand.
4) Encourage Independence
Teach your children to be independent. Monitor them from afar and correct them instantly if they’re doing something wrong. But, let them take charge of small things in life. Don’t be one of those parents who spoon-feed every little thing to their child. In this way, a lot of your responsibilities will be reduced in case you face sudden arthritis pain.
5) Adapt and Evolve
Parenting with arthritis, especially being a father with arthritis, requires you to adapt and evolve constantly.
- Joint pain stopping you from an outing? Set up a picnic in your backyard.
- Unable to run around the house and do physical activities? Find games and activities to do while sitting down or lying down.
- Cannot drive around in the car with your kids? Take a bus.
For every problem, there is a unique and fun solution. You just have to search for one, adapt to the situation, and evolve as a human, every day little by little.
6) A Big “No No” to Lifting and Leaning
Lifting and leaning are 2 tasks that put the most pressure on your joints. Use gadgets & devices that help in lifting, hire someone to help you lift heavy objects, and customise your home in a way where you’re not required to lean too much to get the simplest of stuff. You’re strong, we all get it. But, you’ve nothing to prove. Taking the help of someone will free up some time to spend with your children. Your focus should be on creating experiences with your family rather than fulfilling societal norms. So, be smart and say no to tasks that put strain on your joints.
7) Stay Connected with Your Doctor
Take care of your health and stay in touch with a trusted expert. Arthritis pain can be excruciating. Managing its symptoms while taking care of your family is not a cakewalk. You need an expert who will give you the right guidance at the right time.
Following these 7 pointers will help you navigate better as a father with arthritis and allow you to be available for your children in the best way possible. You should also consume three60+ Pain Relief & Join Mobility tablets to heal from joint pain, reduce stiffness, and improve your mobility. The end result? You get to spend more quality time with your loved ones and get an upper hand on arthritis. So, why let arthritis take over your life? Reclaim your life and manage joint health like a pro.
