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  document.writeln("<span class=\"body\"><b><span class=\"headings2\"><span class=\"actsititle\">Resolving Parent Burnout</span></span></b><br>");
  document.writeln("<span class=\"actsilinks\"><a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.print()\">Print this page</a></span>");document.writeln("<br><div id='actsartcl1'>");document.writeln("<p class=\"myparagraph\" align=\"left\">I<span class=\"body\"> have reached screaming point,\'€  Julie said. \'€œI have three small children that are driving me crazy. I get so  frustrated and angry that I\'€™m scared I might hurt one of them. I need help.\'€</span></p>");
document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\">\'€œI\'€™m tired most of the time,\'€ said  Ron, the father of twins. \'€œWhen Karen had to go back to work to help with  family finances, I had to accept more of the work around the home. By the time  we both get home from a busy day at work, take care of the children and  household chores, we\'€™re both so weary we collapse into bed. We wake up tired  the next morning, and it\'€™s the same thing all over again. We have no time for  each other, and our marriage is suffering.</p>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\"> Julie, Ron and Karen were all  experiencing parent burnout, which is not uncommon in today\'€™s pressure-cooker  society.</p>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\">                    Exhaustion, frustration, and anger  are typical symptoms. Others include a feeling of working harder for the family  but enjoying it less\'€&#8221;of feeling overworked and underappreciated\'€&#8221;resulting in  apathy, resentment, and increased arguments between yourself and your spouse,  or becoming physically ill. \'€œIn the more advanced cases of burnout,\'€ writes  Debra Bruce, \'€œthe weary, confused adult simply quits caring\'€&#8221;leaving the child  basically to rear himself.\'€</p>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\">                    When parents experience prolonged  burnout, the children also suffer. Some will become irritable, restless,  touchy, and argumentative. Others will internalize their frustration, thereby  setting themselves up for later problems.</p>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\"> Single parents are particularly  susceptible to burnout, but so are married parents. Small children need  constant attention. They are a twenty-four-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week  responsibility. Years ago, in the days of the more extended family, there was  more help from other family members, but in our day of the nuclear family,  there is often little or no help from outside family members.</p>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"center\"><img src=\"http://www.actsweb.org/Images/quote-left.gif\" height=\"19\" width=\"20\"><span class=\"headings2\">Exhaustion, frustration, and<br>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\"> If you are a parent, here are some  suggestions to help you resolve, or better still, prevent, burnout. </p>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Ration  your time.</em> Learn to set priorities and say no to the less important demands  on your time. Do only those household and other tasks that are essential, and  forget the rest.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Take time  for yourself.</em> Some parents feel guilty when they relax and take time to  meet their own needs. Arrange for a day off every week anyhow, or at least a  half-day, just to do what you want. Be sure to include time for a hobby or  play.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Meet your  own physical needs.</em> A well-balanced diet is essential for averting and  overcoming the effects of burnout as is regular aerobic type exercise. Proper  rest is also imperative. Even Jesus, the Master Healer, said to his disciples,  \'€œCome apart and rest awhile.\'€ Or as somebody else put it, \'€œCome apart and rest  awhile before you come apart.\'€<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Set  realistic goals.</em> Without clearly defined goals it is easy to run every  which way at once, and thereby dissipate your limited energy and run yourself  ragged. Avoid the temptation to seek to fulfill your unfulfilled dreams through  your children. Encourage them to do and be their best, but don\'€™t put  unrealistic demands on them. Let them know they are loved and appreciated even  if they can\'€™t hit a ball or don\'€™t get the highest grades in their classes.  Treat yourself the same way. </li>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"right\">Page 2<br></p><p class=\"body\" align=\"left\">Furthermore,  realize your limitations and don\'€™t over commit yourself to causes outside the  home. Clearly defined goals can guide you in knowing what responsibilities to  accept and what to say no to.</p>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Use  babysitters.</em> If you are married, it is imperative that you set regular time  aside to spend with your spouse. Use a babysitter so you can go out on a date  with your wife or husband at least once a week. Do something you both enjoy  where you get away from pressures, relax and have a good time together. If you  are single, be sure to take care of your social needs, too.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Verbalize  your feelings.</em> Emotions are a part of life. When under pressure, it is normal  to feel hurt, angry, guilty and so on. One of the worst things we can do is to  deny or bottle up these feelings. It\'€™s not the pressures we are under that lead  to burnout nearly as much as how we react to these pressures and how we handle  our emotional responses. If we don\'€™t find a way to express our pent-up feelings  in healthy ways, we can be certain we will act them out in unhealthy ways. Find  a trusted friend besides your spouse or partner, with whom you can share all  your feelings without being judged or told you shouldn\'€™t feel that way. Write  your feelings out as well. If necessary, talk to your minister or see a  counselor. Repressing your feelings is one of the most destructive things you  can do.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Join a  support group </em>with people who are facing similar pressures, and where you can  share without fear of criticism or being given unwanted advice. Without  meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging to other adults, one can get  into emotional deep water very quickly.<br>");
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document.writeln("                        &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src=\"http://www.actsweb.org/Images/quote-left.gif\" height=\"19\" width=\"20\"><span class=\"headings2\">It\'€™s not the pressures we are under<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Seek  outside help.</em> If you don\'€™t have other family members to help with your  load, don\'€™t be adverse to paying for outside help, especially if both husband  and wife are working. If you\'€™re like me, you probably hate to pay somebody else  for doing what you can do for yourself. However, I\'€™ve had to give up the false  notion that I can do everything myself. I\'€™m neither a super dad or a superman,  so there are some tasks I now pay others to do.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Resolve  personal issues.</em> Parents who haven\'€™t resolved their codependency,  perfectionism, false guilt, and other personal issues, drive themselves into  burnout. The codependent is driven by his or her need to fix and meet everybody  else\'€™s problems and needs. Nothing is ever good enough for the perfectionist,  so he drives himself and those around him into despair. Unresolved personal  issues are probably the greatest cause of burnout. Professional counseling may  be needed to resolve them.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Share the  work load.</em> In homes where both husband and wife work, it is important that  both share the work load equally in the home and in the nurturing of the  children. Don\'€™t settle for anything less.<br>");
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document.writeln("<li class=\"body\"><em>Take time  to meet spiritual needs.</em> Read the Bible and other inspirational material,  and take time to meditate and pray EVERY DAY. Write out your feelings and share  them with God. Ask him to give you the wisdom you need to meet the demands of  the day. And find a church where you can experience meaningful worship and  recharge your spiritual batteries every week.</li>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\">Taking care of  your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs will give you the strength to  carry on and the inspiration needed to help you avoid or resolve parent  burnout.<br>");
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document.writeln("<p class=\"body\" align=\"left\">For additional help, see helpful articles under the heading, \"Marriage and Faily: Relationships That Matter. <a href=\"http://tinyurl.com/relationship-articles\" target=\"_blank\">Click HERE</a>.</p>");
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