What Are Good Self-Care Gifts for Carers? What I Learned at the Together Trust Festival
By Lola Olajide, Founder of Ruthy Michaels
Lola Olajide, founder of Ruthy Michaels, smiling and holding colouring markers, self-care journals and colouring books for busy mums and carers.
On Saturday I packed up my gazebo, my books and my affirmation cards and set up my stall at the Together Trust Festival, and honestly, I came home with far more than I brought.
Throughout the day, I had real, heartfelt conversations with carers; mums, dads, grandparents, and professionals caring for children and adults with disabilities. People who give deeply, every single day, often without anyone asking how THEY are doing.
If you have ever wondered what a good self-care gift for a carer actually looks like, Saturday gave me the answer, and it surprised even me.
The little cards that stopped people in their tracks
What touched people most wasn't the biggest book on the table. It was my affirmation cards. I laid them out and invited everyone, adults and children, to choose the one that resonated with them.
Watching people pause, read, and quietly pick up the card that spoke to their heart... some smiled. Some went very quiet. One woman gave me a tight hug, and we stayed there for a few seconds. One card kept being chosen again and again:
"I am allowed to be held, not just to hold."
Because that is the truth so many carers never hear. You spend your days holding everyone else together. But you are allowed to be supported too.
stall photos
Why self-care matters so much for carers
stall photos 1
Carers, whether you are a parent of a child with a disability, looking after an aging parent, or a professional carer, are among the most likely to put their own mental health last. There is always someone whose needs feel more urgent than your own.
But self-care for carers doesn't have to mean a spa day you'll never book. It can be five minutes with a colouring page and a cup of tea. One honest line in a gratitude journal. One affirmation card on the fridge that reminds you who you are. Small, creative moments of calm that fit into real life, because that's the only kind of self-care that actually happens.
Meaningful wellness gifts for the carers in your life
If someone you love is a carer, here is what Saturday taught me: they truly respond to:
Affirmation cards for adults and children — small enough to keep in a pocket or handbag, powerful enough to stop someone in their tracks. Letting a carer choose the words that resonate with them is a gift in itself.
Adult colouring books — a screen-free way to switch off a busy, worried mind, even for ten minutes.
A gratitude journal — one line a day. That's all it takes to shift how heavy a day feels.
A Mum & Child Wellness Set — an adult journal paired with a child's colouring book, so carer and child can take their calm moment together, side by side.
If you're the one who holds everyone
This is your reminder: your wellbeing matters just as much as the people you care for. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to be held, not just to hold. Even five minutes of colour counts. 🎨
Here are a few of the affirmation cards from my table — which one speaks to you today?
💛 "I am enough."
💛 "I am allowed to be held, not just to hold."
💛 "I am brave enough to try."
Drop yours in the comments — I'd truly love to know!
💛 If you'd like your own little moment of calm — or a meaningful gift for a carer you love — my Mum & Child Wellness Set, gratitude journals and affirmation colouring books are all at ruthymichaels.com. And if you're a school, charity, or workplace supporting carers, I'd love to chat about bulk orders too.
With love and colour,Ruthy 🎨
