How to Take Ownership of Your Well-Being as a Parent and Build Resilience

Take Ownership of Your Well-Being as a Parent and Build Resilience

“True resilience begins when we take ownership of our well-being.” 

This is one of the foundational beliefs behind Thrive Together Parenting—and for good reason. Because parenting is not just about how we show up for our kids. It’s about how we show up for ourselves, too.

When we take ownership of our well-being, we stop waiting for the perfect conditions or someone else’s permission to make changes. We stop trying to control everything around us, and instead, we begin tending to what’s within us. And this shift? It’s where resilience is born.

Let’s explore how you can start taking ownership of your well-being in everyday parenting life—and why it matters so much for building resilience in both you and your child.

1. Tune Into Your Needs—Without Guilt

Resilient parenting starts with self-awareness. Begin by checking in with yourself regularly:

• What am I feeling right now?

• What do I need—emotionally, physically, spiritually?

• What small step can I take to meet that need?

Sometimes the answer might be five minutes of quiet. Other times, it might be a walk, a cry, or asking someone for help. Tuning in builds the muscle of self-responsibility—and teaches your child that emotional needs matter.

Try this: Set a timer on your phone for three “pause points” during the day. When it goes off, take one deep breath and check in with yourself. Ask: “What do I need right now?” Then do one small thing to honor that.

Personally, I use the ‘How We Feel App’ to check in with my feelings, morning, afternoon and evening. Learn More

2. Shift from “Doing It All” to “Doing What Matters Most”

Ownership means making intentional choices about how you spend your energy. Resilient parents are not the ones who never struggle—they’re the ones who know how to prioritize and pivot.

Say no to the things that drain you. Create simple routines that support you. Don’t aim for perfection—aim for sustainability.

Try this: Write down the three most important things that help you feel like yourself (ex. quiet coffee, creative time, movement, connection). Are you getting enough of them? If not, where can you swap “shoulds” for soul-filling habits?

3. Let Go of the Fix-It Reflex

When something is hard—your child is melting down, the day feels overwhelming—it’s easy to rush into fixing mode. But owning your well-being means learning to be with discomfort, not just solve it.

Breathe. Ground yourself. Then respond, not react. This is how you model emotional regulation and resilience to your child: by showing that hard moments don’t have to break you.

Try this: When things get chaotic, use the phrase, “I can handle this,” as your grounding mantra. Say it out loud. Feel it in your body. Let it be your anchor as you move through the moment.

4. Create Your Own Support Circle

Taking ownership doesn’t mean going it alone. It means choosing support—proactively. Who helps you feel seen, heard, and strengthened? Make time to connect with them. And if your circle is small right now, know that community can be built one brave conversation at a time.

Try this: Reach out to one person this week with a message that says, “Hey, I’ve been thinking of you. Want to catch up?” Or join a parenting group, workshop, or support circle—even virtually. You don’t have to do this alone.

5. Reframe Rest and Play as Powerful Acts

Burnout is not a badge of honor. Rest is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. And play? It’s not just for your kids. It’s for you, too. These are not “extras.” They are vital ingredients of resilience.

Try this: Schedule one playful or restful activity this week that is just for you. Dance in the kitchen. Read a book. Lay in the grass. Do it not because it’s productive—but because it reminds you who you are.

Final Thought: The Ripple Effect

When you take ownership of your well-being, you create a ripple effect.

You become more present. More grounded. More capable of meeting your child’s needs without losing yourself in the process. And your child? They learn by watching you. They see that it’s okay to have needs. Okay to ask for help. Okay to take care of their inner world.

This is what resilience looks like. Not bouncing back, but growing forward—from the inside out.

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be willing to begin. Because the power to shift, to heal, to grow—it lives within you.

~Rose Couse~

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