My eldest child was born on Mother’s Day so the day really is that little bit special for me – it literally is the anniversary of my Motherhood journey. And as much as I love being a Mum, and the coloured pasta necklaces I get each year, this year what I’d really like for Mother’s Day is:
- To sleep all night undisturbed by a child or my post-baby child-sized bladder
- To walk from one room to another without standing on something sticky, slimy, gooey or sharp
- To drink my entire coffee before it goes cold
- To not find a puddle of pee on the floor or toilet seat every time I go to the bathroom – please, it’s just for one day
- To eat an entire meal without having slobbery sandwich crusts, corn cobs, chicken bones or any other food scraps dumped on my plate
- To find all dirty washing IN the washing machine not next to it
- To not hear the words “I’m hungry,” “that’s mine,” or “she’s not sharing” – not even once
- To have the energy and hair I had before becoming a Mother
OK so my chances of getting all of these things are pretty slim… Even aiming for just one of two might be a little optimistic, so I will happily settle for a good dose of quality ME time instead.
Making time for Me is not only a guilty little pleasure (although there should be no guilt about it), it’s something that all us Mum’s really do need.
We dedicate so much our time looking after our families we often prioritise ourselves last or forget ourselves altogether. We prepare nutritious lunchboxes and meals for our kids, we ensure they have ample opportunity to get active, be social and promote their health, growth and development in every other way we possibly can, but all too often we don’t do the same for ourselves.
It’s time to remove the guilt and take some time to focus on ourselves, after all our kids deserve a healthy, happy Mum.
This Mother’s Day take some well -deserved ‘time out’ and do something which promotes your own health and well-being (yes, sleeping counts – it’s definitely important for good health). Sit down with a cuppa and your weekly planner and schedule Me time activities each week. Dedicate time specifically to relaxing and unwinding - even if it’s only 10 mins a day - 10min of complete silence is magic; have a bath, water the garden, sit in a dark cupboard where nobody can find you.
Dedicate time for exercise – at a minimum find time for 30 minutes of exercise every other day (this is a good start but aim to build on it). For some of you this might not sound like a great way to spend Me time but it is so important for your health; it relieves stress, gives you more energy and can help you sleep better at night. You might need to get up earlier or find a fitness group, gym or bootcamp that works with your family’s schedule (many are very family friendly and totally accommodating). I try to make the most of my time by, for example, going for a half hour run while my kids are at after school sports, or spending an hour vigorously playing in the yard with the kids (this includes running, jumping, sprinting, burpees, push ups etc all the while chasing the kids, kicking the footy etc.).
Dedicate some time to review your diet and plan to make healthy changes – there are simple things I do each week to help make healthy food choices super quick and easy. Obviously my fridge and cupboard are loaded with good options, but I also keep bowls of salad or veggie sticks ready in the fridge, I make myself lunch in the morning when I am packing the kids lunchboxes, I try to have leftovers in the fridge, and I usually have a weekly plan for dinners.
Finding Me time can be a challenge I know, but we need it and we certainly deserve it.
If you would like some professional help making healthy changes for you and your family, The Kids Menu can work with you to develop a Nutrition, fitness and life style plan. We can work with you in person, over the phone, by Skype or email - just get in touch and let me know how I can help
Happy Mother’s Day
- To sleep all night undisturbed by a child or my post-baby child-sized bladder
- To walk from one room to another without standing on something sticky, slimy, gooey or sharp
- To drink my entire coffee before it goes cold
- To not find a puddle of pee on the floor or toilet seat every time I go to the bathroom – please, it’s just for one day
- To eat an entire meal without having slobbery sandwich crusts, corn cobs, chicken bones or any other food scraps dumped on my plate
- To find all dirty washing IN the washing machine not next to it
- To not hear the words “I’m hungry,” “that’s mine,” or “she’s not sharing” – not even once
- To have the energy and hair I had before becoming a Mother
OK so my chances of getting all of these things are pretty slim… Even aiming for just one of two might be a little optimistic, so I will happily settle for a good dose of quality ME time instead.
Making time for Me is not only a guilty little pleasure (although there should be no guilt about it), it’s something that all us Mum’s really do need.
We dedicate so much our time looking after our families we often prioritise ourselves last or forget ourselves altogether. We prepare nutritious lunchboxes and meals for our kids, we ensure they have ample opportunity to get active, be social and promote their health, growth and development in every other way we possibly can, but all too often we don’t do the same for ourselves.
It’s time to remove the guilt and take some time to focus on ourselves, after all our kids deserve a healthy, happy Mum.
This Mother’s Day take some well -deserved ‘time out’ and do something which promotes your own health and well-being (yes, sleeping counts – it’s definitely important for good health). Sit down with a cuppa and your weekly planner and schedule Me time activities each week. Dedicate time specifically to relaxing and unwinding - even if it’s only 10 mins a day - 10min of complete silence is magic; have a bath, water the garden, sit in a dark cupboard where nobody can find you.
Dedicate time for exercise – at a minimum find time for 30 minutes of exercise every other day (this is a good start but aim to build on it). For some of you this might not sound like a great way to spend Me time but it is so important for your health; it relieves stress, gives you more energy and can help you sleep better at night. You might need to get up earlier or find a fitness group, gym or bootcamp that works with your family’s schedule (many are very family friendly and totally accommodating). I try to make the most of my time by, for example, going for a half hour run while my kids are at after school sports, or spending an hour vigorously playing in the yard with the kids (this includes running, jumping, sprinting, burpees, push ups etc all the while chasing the kids, kicking the footy etc.).
Dedicate some time to review your diet and plan to make healthy changes – there are simple things I do each week to help make healthy food choices super quick and easy. Obviously my fridge and cupboard are loaded with good options, but I also keep bowls of salad or veggie sticks ready in the fridge, I make myself lunch in the morning when I am packing the kids lunchboxes, I try to have leftovers in the fridge, and I usually have a weekly plan for dinners.
Finding Me time can be a challenge I know, but we need it and we certainly deserve it.
If you would like some professional help making healthy changes for you and your family, The Kids Menu can work with you to develop a Nutrition, fitness and life style plan. We can work with you in person, over the phone, by Skype or email - just get in touch and let me know how I can help
Happy Mother’s Day
