Growing up I remember the mothers who looked disheveled and their hair uncombed; either their slip was showing or they looked like they were in their pajamas dropping their children off to school with a hustled sort of crazy look on their faces. Or the scenario of the mom losing it in isle 9 at the child who decides at that moment they want to have a meltdown and the mom is all but pulling her hair out. These are clear signs ladies that a short break a day or at least as often in a week as possible is definitely needed.
On my journey of Personal Development that started late last year it presses even more so on the importance of alone time. That time to just breathe and dream and think and set goals and the things you need to do throughout the day. Our mind is a muscle that needs to be exercised and there must be a balance of spirit, body and mind for us to feel really whole.
So I ask myself every day when can I at least take five minutes to do that? Scheduling it sometimes doesn't always work out and sometimes it happens in those spontaneous moments when you have quiet even if it's in the bathroom lol.
I always hear experts and blogs or articles talk about how important it is to take time for yourself because when you're happy, healthy and spend some time on yourself you make a better parent . The question is how do people who have 3 and more children (we're talking like 7 and up here) where do they find the time? In some situations I suppose a meeting can be held with those that babysit, your spouse etc if it's for periods of time that are longer than 5 mins. In some cases like myself I only have two in tow but the support system in the babysitting area may not be so lucrative I wake up early in the morning get them ready for school and work (prepare food) and when they leave while my little one is sleeping try to take advantage of that time to do all the things I fully have to focus on.
Writing this reminds me of an article in Oprah Magazine of a woman who I think had 12 children and she was a stay at home mom and she would fin time to go to adoration (she was catholic) and set aside time for each child; reading that back then left me in awe and experiencing it firsthand now I'm speechless.
I can usually tell when I'm at the point I need a break just to get myself back on track, to have a ladies night and just laugh and be myself PG13 version. It's the time I find myself snapping at trivial things and I have to take a breath before I answer questions on the loop ( you know what I'm talking about). I don't like that person so I try to snap myself out of it as best I can.
As moms we all do what we can. We get through each day the best we can but I do see how important it is for the me time and the date night . After all we were people before our children's existence and seeing parents lose it in public is a clear sign that we all need a break from mommy duties to feel like ourselves again. Talking to people under 10 all day with no adult conversations in there can get to you after a while and may even make you struggle socially at next event you go to,
No it's not being selfish, it's necessary. You want your children to see you happy and calm, not anxious and annoyed all the time. So take a break.
