Hey @sunflowermom, balance can be difficult to maintain during the tough times, and something I sometimes struggle with - purely because it reminds me of how unconventional our life is! So I know the stress comes from my thoughts and my own ideas of what my life 'should' be like.
Reality is that balance can't help but be toppled. It's exhausting, and I have always been affected by my daughter's moods as well. When she did go to school she was always in a bad mood in the morning. I'd spend the day in a low mood and worrying about her, and so many times she would have had a great day in be in a good mood. She's the same in the mornings before tafe, so I now stay in bed til she's gone. She gets off without having had a dummy spit, and my mood isn't affected. We text when she's on the train on the way there and all is good.
So my point was, sleep when you need to! I so hope you can get in to see a counsellor as well. They could help you work out a new balance and be part of your self care.
How would you feel starting off with a 5 minute deep breathing exercise either when you wake up or before bed? Lie or sit comfortably and just concentrate on the sensation of your breath as you breathe in and out. It takes practice to remain focused, but that's okay. When your mind wanders, just come back to your breathing and the rise and fall of your chest as your breathe. If you google 'mindful breathing' or 'deep breathing exercises', you'll find videos as well that can talk you through.
I also like another exercise where you lie down, close your eyes, and focus on your muscles. You start at your feet and tell yourself to feel your toes relaxing, then each foot, ankle, your calf muscles etc, going over whole body. It's really does make my body feel more relaxed.
