Recovering while Parenting Children

October 9, 2019 8:47 pm - Published by Dr. James Cocores

There are many things we can learn from flying in a plane.
One is the safest way guardians can parent their children. I’m referring to the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandate that before taking off, flight attendants must show and tell how the emergency oxygen features of the plane work.

It goes something like this:
In the event of a change in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from above and in front of you.
Place your oxygen mask on like this.
And now the teaching moment: If you are traveling with a minor, put your own mask on before attempting to assist others.

The flight attendants don’t say why.
Frankly, if you pass out from hypoxia while trying to get an oxygen mask on your frightened child then you both are in serious trouble, while getting you own mask on first gets the job of masking both you done in a much safer fashion.

Similarly, Raynor and colleagues studied parents if and how recovering parents integrated self-care behaviors into their parenting routines.

The researchers reported that parents described self-care behaviors as being a very important part of their own ongoing substance misuse recovery and their parenting practices.

These parents’ recovery practices fortified their recovery and parenting and self-care included:

• Recovery support
• Child care
• Physical health
• Maintaining spirituality
• Healthier eating
• Exercise, journaling
• Continuing education
• Staying busy
• Sponsorship
• Establishing boundaries
• Self-monitoring, abstinence
• Dealing with destructive emotions

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Reference:
Raynor PA, Pope C, York J, et al. Exploring Self-Care and Preferred Supports for Adult Parents in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders: Qualitative Findings from a Feasibility Study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 2017 Nov;38(11):956-963.