How to maintain your identity as a parent, with Nathan Wallis

When you have kids, it’s all too easy to blur the lines between your identity as a parent, and being your own person. And when there’s constant pressure to feel like your whole world should revolve around your children, it doesn’t help with that guilt many of us feel when we prioritise ourselves.

But it doesn’t make you selfish or a ‘bad parent’ for wanting to maintain your independence. In fact, it can actually make you a better role model.

Whether it’s carving out time to go for a jog or practicing self-care, putting your needs first from time to time ensures you can also stay on top of your parenting game.

At the end of the day, we just want to do the best for our families – which doesn’t mean being a ‘perfect parent’. It just means doing enough for yourself, your partner, and your children to meet everyone’s needs.

To help us out, we’ve enlisted our resident parenting expert, Nathan Wallis, for some advice on how to maintain your own identity and independence while navigating parenthood.

Nathan Wallis is a Neuroscience Educator, nib health insurance parenting expert and regular media commentator. He hosts sold-out learning events for parents up and down the country (and abroad), talking to different stages of child development – including the first 1000 days - and how parents can support their children in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.