Last seen over 18 years ago
Member since Mar 13, 2008
Taking time for yourself when your a mom is harder than it seems. At least that has been my reality for the last 9 years. You see, I am a stay at home mom (SAHM on this site) and every minute of every hour of every day use to be spent tending to the needs of my family. Which is all well and good, don’t get me wrong. But, you see that kind of thing can drive you literally crazy after a while. Saying “yes” to everyone else all the time and saying “no” to you is internally damaging!!! By doing this you are constantly telling yourself internally that you are not good enough to worry about. That you don’t mean enough to even yourself. Now how horrible does that sound? I know really really bad. But that’s what countless moms have done for countless generations. So that’s why I am here…a light in the darkness…a hope for the hopeless…a …well hopefully by now you get the general idea. I am here to say that you 100% need to pencil yourself in every day. That’s right EVERYDAY!!! Even if it’s only for 5 minutes a day, that’s fine. So here’s the plan broken down and simple for all you mommy’s who need a minute or five:
Take 5 minutes out of everyday to have a Mini Mommy Time Out (MMTO). This is when you concentrate on you and only you with no interruptions. Just like you would if you give your child a time out. Once a week take a Mommy Time Out (MTO). This is the same as a MMTO but 55 minutes longer. Once a month it’s time for a Mommy Time Meeting (MTM). This is where you and 4 or more Moms of young children in your area meet and talk about ideas for what to do during MMTO. Think up new and exciting places and things to do during MTO that involve all of you. The possibilities are endless.
Now here are some starter ideas for MMTO & MTO
Mini Mommy Time Out: -Polish your finger and toe nails -Take a bath or shower that’s 5 minutes longer than you usually do -Keep your favorite sugar scrub next to your hand soap & give yourself a mini-manicure. It takes less than 5 minutes. So do your feet too. -Give your self a mini facial by washing your face, putting a mask on for 3 minutes and then moisturizing. -Apply tooth-whitening gel for 5 minutes -Perhaps you’ve heard of a gratitude journal. It’s a great way to make yourself aware of 3 good things that happened to you throughout the day. Use this same idea for an Love Me journal. Take those 5 minutes to write 3 reasons you love yourself. Make sure to include all the wonderful things about your body, your mind, and your spirit. -Take those 5 minutes and daydream. Kids do it. Get in touch with your child-like innocence. Imagine yourself somewhere beautiful. Think positive loving thoughts.
Mommy Time Out:
-Go for a leisurely walk with a friend somewhere (safe) you usually don’t have time to get to. See how many different trees, birds and so on, you can find. -Window shop downtown or at the mall but don’t take your credit card. Just enough money for a taxi or a phone call in case of an emergency. -Go to your favourite store and play pretend while you look thru the new arrivals that you can’t afford. Try things on. Be adventurous. -Get into your PJ’s and onto your bed, then read a great book while a nice cup of hot tea or ice cold lemonaide awaits you on your night stand.