Regardless of any specific advice we may offer during a well-visit, we always hope that our patients and their families leave with one overarching message–balance is the key to health. It is important to acknowledge that balance is not an attainable goal. There is no one model of a balanced life. Instead, we like to think of balance…as a moving target that is unique to each individual.
The important thing is that each of us asks ourselves, “How can we be a little more balanced today than yesterday?”
It does not mean we will succeed every day, but simply remaining mindful of the question will leave us open to nudging ourselves towards more balance and better health over time.
We have created the “Balanced Living” section to provide some food for thought and practical tips for asking yourself this question. The posts in this section will be incredibly varied because, if you think about it, the word “balance” can be applied to every aspect of life at every age.
- The new parent tries to find the balance between caring for their newborn and caring for themselves.
- The parent of the toddler tries to find the balance between scheduling and allowing for self-directed play.
- Starting at school age, kids and parents work together to try and find the balance between diet, sleep, extracurricular activities, screen time, exercise, and good old fashion free time. They also have to find a balance between parental guidance and budding childhood autonomy.
- Adolescents have the ultimate challenge of seeking balance in an over-scheduled video-obsessed world.
We hope some of these posts resonate with you and help you with your parenting journey. Many of these posts have come from colleagues, but more than a few, have come from wise parents like you.
If you want to share anything, please reach us at … Good luck!
