Oh those piles and piles of Legos
So being a mom to young ones is the most exhausting, yet the most rewarding time in your life. (I think I say, “Are you serious?” on average of 15 times a day). Some of you amazing organized moms have your lives figured out to a T, and plan exactly what age you will have children, what activities they will be involved in, where the family will live, and the type of parents you will be. The rest of us were taken by surprise by that positive pregnancy test, and learn day to day the ins and outs of parenting and we just wing it and try to maintain our sanity. But even though we all have different parenting styles, we all have the same goal. To raise good human beings. (Repeat after me, You. Are. ALL. HEROES).
As a stay at home mom of a 2 year old girl and 6 year old boy (boy, from day one refused to sleep and was the definition of chaos). But both are full of life, curiosity, humor and poop jokes. As we know, these tiny humans know every single button of yours to push and when to push it. It does not matter the time or place, the button will be pushed with vigor. There are days you clean the floor, and immediately afterwards someone runs in with muddy feet and spills a bowl of Cheerios. (Our little toddler just loves dumping things out and staring at us menacingly while doing so). Or best of all, you just finished cleaning the bathroom and your little guy decides to become Picasso and decorate the bathroom wall instead of aiming at the toilet. These are the days you look back and think of your younger self and wonder, what the **** happened?
Flashback before kids, (it will be quick I promise). I was one of those single women who had a full time job, went to graduate school, had an apartment, car, and was annoyed by young children on airplanes. I came and went as I pleased, and my biggest concern was what kind of scented candle to buy from Bath and Body Works. I wanted to be a mom someday, but I was going to be the mom who had her life together, dressed cool, and got her hair done every few weeks. Well. fast forward 5 years and none of the above things happened. From day one we put so much love into raising little ones that we lose who we are. As a stay at home mom, for the past 5 years my “mom uniform” has consisted of yoga pants and a t-shirt (OK my go to is my husband’s t-shirt. Gone are the days of department store makeup and highlights every 6 weeks, some of us simply do not have time for that. I am not a cool mom, and I am embarrassed to admit the last time I had my hair done.
But, despite being a hot mess, I decided one day that life was to be enjoyed, and I needed to try and make more time for myself. So I practice a few self care tips that I want to share with you.
5 Simple (and free) Ways to Maintain Your Sanity:
ONE: Take a Mental Health Day: One day a week while my little ones are in school I do little work as possible and relax. As a mom and business owner there is always work to be done, but one day a week I enjoy the peace and quiet, catch up on whatever, reflect, and enjoy it. (You should try it)
TWO: Do what makes you happy. Whether it may be listening to your favorite old school rap song on the radio, or stopping at Target just to walk around, you deserve this break.
THREE: Having quiet time! Not all of us have this luxury, however if you need to step away for a few minutes and lock yourself in the closet, do so (this is my favorite quiet place!). You may have little fingers underneath the door looking for you, but take a few deep breaths and relax.
FOUR: THE HOUSEWORK CAN WAIT. Sure there are dirty dishes in the sink, a pile of clothes to be washed, or dinner to be made. But just relax, those dishes are not going anywhere. Take some time for you and tackle them later.
FIVE: Call a friend and vent. Spend some time on the phone with a friend of yours and trade stories. You would be surprised how simply talking to someone can put a different perspective on things and you will feel so much better! Also, do not be afraid to ask for help. Whether it be asking your partner to take the kids for a few minutes, or having family help, you need this time.
There you have it! Remember, you are still that young vibrant person on the inside. But life does change and our little ones depend on us to feel safe and loved. It may seem like a long time away, but the little ones will soon grow up and you will look back on these times and laugh…and oddly enough want them back. Enjoy it!