Being a Caretaker can make you feel unseen. People forget to invite you out to parties. Friends may not call to check up on you. You are so busy taking care of everyone else, know one is taking care of you. And in the middle of it all, you feel so lonely.
But God sees you. That’s why Hagar called God “El Roi” or “the God who sees me”. The same God who saw a scared, runaway slave and loved her deeply sees you, the scared Caregiver who feels all they do is give, but never receives; He loves you deeply.
Can I say a prayer for you today, friend? God, I know my friend feels unseen and ignored by the rest of the world. Caretaking can be so isolating. But You see my friend. You love them deeply and You care about their pain. Remind them that You are close to them today. In Jesus’ name, Amen
As a woman, taking your health seriously is of the utmost importance. One way to do this is to get routine screenings that look at various aspects of your health, from your blood pressure and cholesterol, to your stamina and physical health. Here are some of the more important health screenings women need to get.
Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
These are two simple screenings that everyone should get done regularly, including if you are a woman. In fact, women often have a higher risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions, so you should start these tests around age 18-20. Your doctor may request to perform the test each year if you are at a high risk, or do them every few years when you go in for routine bloodwork. Both blood pressure and cholesterol can affect your heart health and overall health, so don’t skip this one.
Breast Screenings
As a woman, one of the riskiest cancers for you is breast cancer. While men can get breast cancer, most people who get this type of cancer are women. You should get various types of breast screenings to look for signs of cancer. The first is a basic type of breast exam, where the doctor or nurse will look for signs of bumps or lumps on your breast, including examining your armpits and areolas for irregular patterns or colors. You should also get a mammogram each year starting between 40 and 50 years old, according to your doctor’s guidelines.
Osteoporosis Screenings
One of the more common medical conditions women need to be careful about is osteoporosis. This is when you lose some of your bone density, which can easily happen with women as they age. You need to focus on diet and nutrition, as well as proper exercise to help prevent osteoporosis. You can also get early treatment by getting osteoporosis screenings periodically. This often includes getting a bone density scan, then following that up with x-rays of your bones.
Blood Glucose Tests
Finally, as a woman you might be at risk for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can occur at any time during your life, whether you are at a high risk for it or not. It is important to get routine bloodwork, including checking your blood glucose levels, so you know whether or not you are pre-diabetes or if you already have diabetes now and need to get it treated.
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to the known God!
Having a chronic illness is a scary thing for sure. Many people don’t get a firm diagnosis or if they do, the doctors find it impossible to predict how that illness may change in the coming weeks, months, or years. As a caretaker you are not only taking on what is going on in your household, but caring for someone else’s day to day health.
It’s easy to sit up late at night, worrying about your health or your patient’s health. Will you be able to pick up your toddler next month? Will you still be able to drive to the grocery store next week? Will you be able to attend that family reunion next year?
This was a woman who faced unimaginable loss and still came out on the other side with a beautiful redemption story. She didn’t let the unknown keep her from seeking (or trusting) God!
Have you ever felt like someone put your world on “spin cycle” and left it there for an extra long time? That’s how I feel when life throws me curveballs, disrupts my life and I have to adjust to the problem at hand .
There’s just so much we can’t control in this life. We can do everything we’re supposed to and things can still go sideways. But we can have peace no matter what’s happening because God is in charge.
Can I pray for you today, friend?
God, I confess—sometimes, my life feels like it’s spinning out of control. But my feelings aren’t true because I believe You are still in control. Help me to rest in this truth today and not what my emotions tell me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Teenager being talked about and doesn’t know how to handle it.
While you can expect conflicts at work, it’s the conflicts at home that can be especially maddening, more so when they involve kids. Children quite simply don’t understand the finer points of a situation, meaning they frequently take a very simplistic view of things – and react very emotionally when things don’t go their way.
Add their peers into the mix, and you have a disaster waiting to happen.
We also now have the internet to throw into this mix as well. Our kids, especially our preteens and teens, keep their phones in their hands and are comparing themselves to the highlights that they see of someone’s life. We also have to take in account that young people will use social media to embarrass others or express what they are feeling. This causes anxiety, self esteem issues, and if we do not pay attention they will close off from the world.
As a caregiver we pay special attention to our patients and clients that we take care of. At times we can become so engrossed with work and are tired that we can miss the signs for our children.
Helping your children to learn how to resolve their conflicts with others is an important step in helping them on the path to adulthood. Below, find a list of things you might not have thought of when it comes to guiding your children in conflict resolution with others.
1. Teach your children how to be calm. As mentioned before, it’s very easy for a child to react emotionally. After all, they’ve done it since they were babies, teaching them how to control strong emotions is a skill they’ll need for their entire life. Teach them self-soothing strategies such as counting to 10, taking several deep breaths before responding, or simple meditation techniques.
2. Give your children the language to express themselves, and then teach them when not to use it. Tell your child it’s good to explain how something made them feel, but not to blame other people when doing so. Then show them that after speaking comes listening to what the other person has to say.
3. Show your child how to brainstorm solutions. Even young children can quickly learn this skill, as children are especially creative naturally.
4. Role-play situations. If a child has had a repeating conflict with peers, then help them practice how to react to those conflicts. That will help them to be better prepared when the situation rises again.
5. Teach children fairness. Rather than constantly nagging at your child to take turns or to share, help them to learn a mindset of thinking about others through your actions. Sure, you can reward the behavior you want to see, but it’s through learning empathy that these lessons stick. It will help them through conflict resolution when they can look at a situation and ask the question for themselves, “Was this fair?”
Helping your child in conflict resolution is something you as a parent should take very seriously. Of all the life skills you teach your child, this is one of the most important. But remember, that while using these steps to guide them might be a good jumping off point, you know your child better than anyone. Use what’s logical to you that will teach them best. And then allow them the freedom to practice those skills as they go out into the world.
The Caregiver Cafe 