Remember You?

I recently came across an article from Parents.com, "3 Signs You've Forgotten About You". This caught my eye because as parents, and especially mothers, we tend to put ourselves last and put our kids, spouses and work ahead. After the cooking, cleaning, laundry and work, the only thing you hope for is to have more than 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. And that's never guaranteed.

When I came across the above-mentioned article, I was intrigued by the signs that made the list, since I've hit all three, multiple times in fact. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. According to Parents.com, the following are three signs that YOU have been forgotten:

• You're not getting everything done
• You are tired and/or get sick frequently
• Your patience has bid you adieu

I experience two out of the three every single day. Every mother thinks she's the only one that feels this way. Well, it looks like there is at least one other mother (moi) feeling the exact same way. In fact, I am 99.9% sure that every mother feels the same way at one point or another (or most likely more often). So in order to feel less like a failure we attempt to do even more, which of course backfires, sending us on a spiral into further misery.

Sometimes the right answer seems counter-intuitive. In my post on the Five Things I Learned in My Five Years of Parenting, I list out things we as Moms can do to make us the best Moms we can be. My Mom always tells me that children need healthy Mothers. To be better for others, we need to be good to ourselves. So taking care of ourselves should be a priority. As a follow up to the five things I've learned, I wanted to list out some things we as Moms can do to clear our heads and replenish our energy.

• Get a few girlfriends together for an evening out - you'd be surprised how much this can do for the psyche. (Try to make this a habit.)
• Coloring books for adultsare all the rage - calms the nerves and focuses the mind
• Try to run errands on your own - having alone time is a scarce commodity for parents. Any chance to have some time for oneself is greatly welcomed. A run to the grocery store or even taking out the garbage offers a chance for a little bit of tranquility.
• Last but certainly don't let it be least, make time for the spouse. The relationship that brought your children into the world should be nourished to maintain a thriving family.

I am always open to new ideas and suggestions. I'd love to hear what you do to unwind and replenish. Please do share in the comments below.

Until next time...