Lemon Squeeze
Disability parents experience significantly higher levels of stress and even more so during the holidays. Tensing and relaxing your muscles can help calm your brain and emotions. An easy way to practice this exercise is to grab a lemon, stress ball, or pretend you have one in your hand.
Try this:
- Grab a lemon out of the fridge, find a stress ball, or just use your hand and pretend you’re holding a lemon.
- Take the lemon in your right hand and squeeze as hard as you can for 30 seconds.
- Suddenly drop the lemon.
- Take the lemon in your left hand and repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Notice how you are feeling. Do your hands feel more relaxed?
- You can repeat the exercise again or throughout the day.
Dr. Todd and Kristin Evans are celebrating 22 years of marriage. They are award-winning authors, speakers, and parents of two children with complex needs. Their new book, How to Build a Thriving Marriage as You Care for Children with Disabilities will release in May 2024 by Baker Books. They both earned their MA in Christian Educational Ministries at Wheaton College in Illinois and have served together in full-time ministry in church, camping, and retreat settings. Todd received his PhD from Vanderbilt University’s School of Engineering and currently manages his own business, and Kristin earned her MSW from the University of Tennessee and is a Licensed Master Social Worker experienced in couples, child and family, substance abuse, and crisis counseling.
Disability Parenting