Children below. Parents above. Stressed-out caregivers in the middle, who spread themselves thin between managing demands from spouses, careers, home, health and more. Also known as the "Sandwich Generation" or the "Sandwich Zone", as my guest today, Karen Osborne describes it. Takeaways:It’s so easy to loose yourself in the pressure being in the sandwich zone, so you need to be aware of it.There’s nothing like a situation of your child needing you and your support more than anything to highlight what is important in your life.Sometimes as a parents we have to accept that we can’t give them everything they need and be willing to look outside the home for help.As mothers we think we can fix everything, but the only thing we can do is let go. It may be hard to hear from others that your kids need something more than you can give them, but you need to listen.Parenting lesson Number one is the importance of holding space for your children and listening without giving advice or passing judgement. It’s your silliness to sit in the muck with them and just be there.Let them know that voice in their head is just a voice. and At that’s all it is.It is a fine line to walk with your parents to maintain that you are the child and they are the parent when you are having to take care of issues for them and with them.  You don’t want to step on their independent toes.Death and the talk around it and aging needs to normalized. Things change, they just do. Start talks and making plans with your parents when they are in their prime and  in a place to tell you what their plans are and what they want. ASK a lot of questions of your parents, their doctors and care providers. Get as informed as possible.Make sure that your siblings are involved in all conversations. There’s so much baggage of childhood that you may need to work through now.Make recording of your parents now. Get their voices and their stories so that you and your child have them in the future.Being in the middle of the sandwich zone, it is easy to feel that you are living your life for everyone else. But you need to put yourself first sometimes. Stop setting yourself on fire to make others warm. Do something for yourself every day to bring yourself joy however infinitesimal it is. Care and invest in yourself as much as you do everyone else.Being in the sandwich zoCome talk to me here:Find me on my Website:https://www.lesleylmcshane.comFREE: Midlife in Motion ROADMAP I want more details on the MIDLIFE IN MOTION program:I don't need details, I want IN in the MIDLIFE IN MOTION program:Schedule a Kickstarter Call to get your nutrition and fitness on track!Connect with me on Instagram:Get Redesigning Midlife Weekly Updates:Find your community at the private Redesigning Midlife Facebook Group:You Deserve It Notebook: Goal Tracker, Planner, ...