As I am coming fresh off an amazing ladies’ weekend with a friend from college (we’ve known each other for 18 years! WHAT!?), all I can think or talk about is how rejuvenating that weekend felt for me. Sure, it took some planning, some cajoling and some thriftiness on my part…but it could not have been more worth it. It was such a treat to take two days off from being everything to everyone around me. No one was yelling at me, demanding more toast, screaming about who took what toy, jumping on me, or climbing on me. There was plenty of wine, but NO whining. What a treat! I came home feeling more connected with my friend, more equipped to handle the emotions of three active children and more enthusiastic about meeting the everyday challenges of being Mom. Obviously a spa weekend isn’t in the cards very often, so it got me thinking about some other ways Moms could treat themselves more frequently. Because we all know that a happier Mommy makes for a happier family.
There are the obvious things that you can try to work in while the kids are at school, daycare, with Grandma or a sitter:
- Manicure/Pedicure
- A quick massage
- Getting your hair done
- Yoga or other fitness class
- Sit in Starbucks with no agenda
- All the great things listed below by Tom Haverford and Donna…
But let’s be honest, that’s not realistic to do every week or even once a month if you have kids who aren’t in school yet and family who doesn’t live nearby. So what kinds of things can you treat yo self to while the kids are in tow?
- Take tiny people to the bakery for a treat…they won’t tell anyone that you got something too!
- Grab an indulgent magazine from the grocery checkout line.
- Get your own book at the library (I assure you, the children’s room is NOT the only part of the library) and then consciously make time for yourself to read it while kids are busy/napping/after bedtime.
- Get a jogging stroller and get outside. Walk, run, skip, who cares. Focus on the fresh air and let the kids enjoy the view with some snacks, because full mouths cannot be loud mouths.
- (Local Mommy Tip: Scalzi Park in Stamford has both a running track AND a playground/splash pad – so after tiny people sit still for Mommy’s time on the running path, they get rewarded with their kid playtime.)
- A Mommy Playdate – this is what we call it when we get a couple of friends from Kindergarten together on Friday afternoon at someone’s house. Siblings are obviously welcome, there are enough kids to entertain themselves and the Mommies get to sit and (moderately) catch up in a different room. Wine may or may not be served.
Don’t forget time with your girl friends! Sure, date night with the husband is really important for your relationship, but don’t neglect your lady relationships!
- Plan a dinner night out with the ladies. Bonus points if you can make it a monthly deal.
- Join a Book Club or start your own. It’s great for Mommy to depend on one night a month for a book club meeting with other adults.
- Take time to sit down and catch up on emails or phone calls with your lady friends.
- Set up running dates (or whatever activity floats your boat) with one or more lady friends….bring the kids or don’t, it’s your time.
- If you can swing it, GO AWAY! Go visit a friend at her place, meet in the middle, get a group to meet somewhere fun and exciting…the possibilities are endless. So start planning now, because with kids in the mix, you just might have to pick a date one year in the future….
Of course, there are plenty of FREE ways to treat yo self, but they mostly depend on munchkins being in bed….
- Read that book from the library!
- Try your hand (pun intended) an at home mani/pedi.
- Take a warm bath and try out an at home facial.
- Spend some quality time with guilty pleasures on your DVR queue or Netflix…who cares what it is, as long as it makes you smile 🙂
How do you like to TREAT YO SELF?