Think back over the past month. How many times did you set aside a day to do something that you wanted to do? Something that didn’t involve pleasing anyone else but yourself? I can’t say that I pamper myself with a special “me day,” but I know that sometimes a little break is well deserved. Check out the following guest post that was sent in from a mom blog reader:
Being a parent is one of the most thrilling, challenging, blessed, life-altering, enjoyable, and challenging experiences on the planet. Why is challenging in there twice? Because it’s twice as challenging as anything else!
It takes time, energy, and dedication to be a parent. It requires thousands of hours of lost sleep, millions of selfless acts, and billions of worrying thoughts. And you probably wouldn’t change a thing about it.
While raising children, it can be easy to get so wrapped up in diapers, lunches, or after-school activities that you forget all about your own needs. That is a mistake. When every day seems to bring a new emergency or just another in a long line of to-do lists, remember the message from the airline safety speech: “If you are traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your oxygen mask first and then assist the other person.”
Take time to make sure you get what you need to stay sane and adjust the speed of your emotional roller coaster. You don’t need something as grand as a vacation, although that works as long as you don’t spend the days babysitting or playing mom.
Spend a day at the spa, go on a shopping spree for yourself, even try some skincare to make you look and feel younger. Anything, as long as it takes you away from your everyday family responsibilities and allows you to relax and get your head together.
Studies have shown that rested parents are less likely to escalate arguments and more likely to respond appropriately to outbursts from teenagers and two-year-olds alike. So if you’ve been feeling stressed lately, now is the time to take a weekend, a day, or just a few hours for yourself. Even if you feel you’re leaving your family in the lurch, they’ll likely thank you for it in the long run.