Many parents neglect themselves and use their children as an excuse for doing so. How many moms and dads do you know who have a horrible diet, take inadequate care of themselves in general, never do anything fun, all in the name of being a good parent? Probably a couple, and chances are they aren’t the best parents you know either. I’m not talking about a single mom who is scraping by just to keep the lights on for her kids. I’m referring to parents who are middle class and actively choose to neglect their own needs because they believe being self-sacrificial makes them good parents. A child is not going to be traumatized because their mom needs a spa day and an afternoon away from them once a month, and it’s kind of silly to think otherwise. Parents need to put on their own oxygen mask before helping others, both in airplanes and in life.