Self Care Tips by Molly

Hello! I’m Molly Peters. I represent the DC Association of the Deaf (DCAD) as a Member-At-Large and board member. Now, in DC, where we are focusing on #StayHome throughout the entire region of DC, Virginia, Maryland – What do we do while we stay home? Do-do?

We’ve been taking care of our pets, children, family. There’s a wide variety of options. Me, I’m busy with graduate school, studying hard. Sometimes I wish I had time for other activities! But that’s all right. All of you out there: self-care is important. Take breaks from your childcare. Take breaks and think about yourself: self-care.

You can start with your clothes! In your drawers, closets, they’re languishing. Clean by taking all of them out and stacking them on your bed. If there are clothes that you never use, take them out. You can organize your drawers and closets.

Photographs – you can scan them and store them on your computer, organizing files. Start scrapbooking online.

You can start a garden with flowers, herbs. If you have a patio with space or a small yard; that’s nifty, go for it!

With food and recipes, you can try something new and different. You can make bread, cookies, or something you’ve been craving for a long time. You can experiment, especially with your children. Go ahead and teach them cooking skills. Gardening too. You can teach them science, cooking.

Zoom is a free service for (usually) up to 40 minutes. You can set up board games online with Zoom and have multiple players on camera, including any of your friends.

With smartphones and TV, try to avoid looking too much at the news and dwelling on what we can’t control. Cut down on screens; remember what’s most important: self-care. You can also clean and de-clutter your phone, including removing old photos and what we don’t need. Tidy up.

FaceTime and chat with your friends. It’s important to keep in touch with your family & friends. That’s significant in our well-being.

You can write a book or come up with a YouTube video. Perhaps make a creative film.

And now, think about your toes. You can massage your foot, your feet. You can give both a heartfelt massage. You can. A bath would be nice too; just relax and luxuriate.

If you have children, set up a table with calendars for classes online. Schedule them. Set up organization. Important: Children should be able to go outside and play with chalk.

Walking is important. Walk outside. Get sunlight. Vitamin D. Just remember – this is critical – physical distancing. Keep away from others outside. Walking around with physical distancing is essential for your family. Find something like a hike with less people around.

The key is self-care. If you feel frustrated with someone, go to another room and take time alone to calm down and then come back together. We’ll all be ok.

Take care and stay healthy!