It is summer, and it is a great time to be a mom. I was ready for the school year to end even though I only had one in school, just finishing up kindergarten. We have been looking forward to not having homework or lunches to pack. I was looking forward to having personal time. I love being able to stay up late to make smores, watching the stars and lightning bugs, and having longer hours during the day.
But now what do we do with everyone home together, staying up late? Where did my downtime go? Do I really need it, or is it just selfish to expect?
You absolutely need some down time as a mom. It’s not about not loving your kids. It’s not about wanting to step away for a bit. It’s about wanting to feel like a human being who is something more than just a mom. Being a mom is the greatest gift and the greatest job I could ever have. But even those amazing jobs can be exhausting. Just like a day at Disney World is fabulous and wonderful and fun, it is exhausting.
We need to refresh ourselves for our sakes, for our kids’ sakes, for our spouses. It allows our minds to think complex thoughts again. It allows us to view ourselves as beautiful and significant by having opportunities to get out of our bathing suits, PJs, and not having dirty kid-stained clothing.
It doesn’t have to be major. You can find simple ways to get some downtime. I started training for a 5k. Have the hubby watch the kids so you can go to the grocery store or downtown alone. Meet up with your BFF for an in-home coffee date minus the distractions. You need to fill up your inner cup as much as any coffee or drink cup.
I heard this example in a study I did recently. We are a cup, full of love for our kids, and we spill it out and cover them. We drain our cups to fulfill their needs, our family, friends, co-workers, spouses. Then what? You will not have anything further to give unless you fill your own cup back up.
Yes, we are the backbone of families. We hold it together, but we have to be held together too. Find what “fills you up.” Find what makes you feel complete and whole again. Do that, however often you feel drained. Don’t feel guilty. We all need it. Don’t let finances and time be your excuse. Swap with another mom that needs help. Feed your soul, so that you can continue to feed others.
What fills your cup and makes you feel like you are alive and well?
Jessica Ballard is the editor and creative mind behind Begin To Craft and Savvy Southern Parent. She hosts the live web show "You. Inspired Into Action" on the third Thursday of each month at 9pm EST. You can find Jessica on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. She and her husband live on a small farm near Charlotte, NC with 3 children. Jessica has become an expert at living on a budget, DIY projects, and dealing with food allergies.
The post Personal Time: Mom Needs a Summer Break Too appeared first on Mom it Forward.