Moms do so much all of the time. Every single day. From the day you give birth until, well I don’t know when it will stop! Every day you think of your child and what you need to do for them. When you have a little tiny baby, it seems that every second of your day becomes theirs because they need you. However, in order to find balance, don’t forget to take a moms time out. Moms self care means being in tune with your own needs and giving yourself the break and care you deserve. You have to allow yourself time to breath, time to think, and time to care for yourself too!
I am partnering with Crocs to encourage moms to drop it all and take one day for themselves.
Take A Moms TimeOut #MomsDayOff
Have you heard that self care quote by Eleanor Brownn? “When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”
Another variation on that theme is that you can not pour from an empty cup so take of yourself first! It is a great visual image for reminding moms that we need our time off too! Don’t suffer from mom guilt for taking time to yourself. It is normal and healthy and good to have a moms timeout. So go ahead and plan to take a Moms Day Off yourself- sometime soon!
I took a day for myself to show you that it was doable! I decided to take a trip over to the nail place and get a pedicure. Recharging doesn’t even fully describe the experience. I so needed it! My feet were all cracky and dry. But even more, I needed to just sit back and relax and soak my feet and let that massage chair do its thing while I looked at magazines and let my mind wander. It felt so good. You know, I just deserve to have some time to myself! I also deserve to get my feet looking cute for the spring weather and the cute open toed shoes that come with the season. And as an added bonus of taking time to pamper myself and look good, my husband will know that I value him and want to look good for him too!
I also took a day without kids to hang out with some girl friends! We visited the Hermitage (historical home of President Andrew Jackson) and had a great day getting to chat about all kinds of things and walk around and explore new places and learn new things. It is refreshing to talk about adult things and not have to worry making sure my kids are doing what they should be doing!
More Moms Self-Care Ideas
Some of your self care should focus on taking time to care for your physical body- health and appearance. Some of your self care for moms should focus on your mental health. That means different things for different people but should generally include both some alone time and some time with friends and family.
Knowing when to take a parent time-out is important but sometimes we fail to see an opening. Who’s going to hold my colicky baby? How can I escape my fit-throwing toddler? And most importantly, how am I supposed to regroup and be the grown-up if I can’t get away from this crazy house?
You can’t always take a full moms day off to work on moms self care. However, there are many types of self care for moms. Here are five suggestions for bringing your thumping blood pressure back to a healthy beat so you can handle the melee of everyday parenting.
5 Short Break Mommy Self Care Ideas To Regain Composure
Grab your ear buds.
There is nothing like the constant sound of children crying and arguing to upset the household. Whether it’s a colicky baby or a fussy toddler who will not be pacified, getting to your happy place can be as simple as a pair of ear buds and a ten minute playlist of happy music. When you hit the end of your rope music is a great leveler and using ear buds gives you the chance to find a quiet(er), private place in the midst of the family chaos, even if you can’t leave the room.
Downward dog.
Yoga isn’t for everyone but learning to quiet the body and control your breathing can help bring your heart rate back to a healthy level. When that last glass of spilled milk hits the fan and you feel the nuclear mommy melt start, take a moment to center your breathing. Find a place to sit and get some much-needed oxygen back into your system. Whether it’s a yoga pose or simply grounding yourself in a comfortable chair, inhale and exhale until your body relaxes.
Stop and count.
When yelling or running away to Mexico seem like the only options left, take a moment and count to ten…or twenty or thirty. Focus on the numbers, count in Spanish, anything that will distract your mind from the frustration at hand. Counting is an excellent way to recenter yourself.
Take a walk around the block.
Exercise can help expel pent up energy and release a few good endorphins. Put the kids in the stroller, do a few sets of lunges across the room, or hit the floor for pushups (toddler warning: don’t try this with toddlers around because they will probably climb on your back). Regardless of what you do, using your large muscle groups will send your energy into something other than mommy madness. And hey, burning calories is a better option than putting a cookie in your mouth.
Phone a friend.
Sometimes what you really need is a listening ear. Call a friend or family member and don’t be afraid to talk about what’s upsetting you. Expressing frustration to someone who cares about you will lighten your load and remind you that you’re not alone, other people have walked in similar shoes. There is nothing better than being able to laugh or cry about life with someone who loves you.
Conclusion
Whatever you choose to do, remember that your happiness and sanity are important to the family as a whole. Mommy time-outs are a crucial part of parenting. You are doing more than simply cooling down, you set an example of self-soothing that even little children can replicate.
How would you spend your own moms timeout? What moms self care are you currently neglecting? Would you read a book? Have lunch with a friend? Go to the spa? Tag @familyfocusblog so I can see what you picked for your time off!
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