I don’t take enough time for myself even though I want to, but then one of the kids needs me for something and I just forget that I was trying to get some relief. It’s one of those really hard balancing acts when you are a parent, trying to be a good mom, while still being able to be you. I do not have it figured out at all, and I sometimes even feel like I have completely lost who I am. I know that a lot of parents deal with this, but it is really hard to talk about.

I am busy with work, school, keeping the house clean and organized, and of course taking care of the kids. It leaves very little time for me to be able to even go for a walk alone, but I am trying harder now to take some time to relax or to unwind alone. One of the things that you don’t realize before you become a parent is how awesome being alone is. I don’t mean alone forever, but having some time to sit and read a book, or call a friend, or have a pedicure. I have to consciously make time and schedule activities to get some me time. I have few outside activities right now.

1) I started playing softball in a women’s D league. We are not good, the competition is not good. But it is really fun. I get two hours once a week to get out of the house and do something athletic. I love the ladies on my team and I feel refreshed after a game.

2) Pedicures with friends. I love pedicures. They are seriously the best! I also love a clean, fresh set of painted toenails. This is great when I have a little extra money. I can go on a Saturday and meet some friends and come back feeling calmer and happy.

3) Paint and Wine classes. I have a wonderful sister-in-law who takes painting classes with me. We are terrible at painting, but we have a lot of fun. It is kind of pricey, so we have to space these out a bit, but it’s 3 hours of time that I can focus just on the painting and catching up with my SIL.

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4) Reading a book in the extra bedroom. The good thing about having an extra room in our current house is that I can escape for an hour and read if I want to. Usually, the kids are occupied by something Mr. Cereal has for them so I can just sit back and lose myself in a good book.

5) A good long walk. I love walking and I live in an area that is incredibly beautiful. There are tons of great trails and we even have a three-mile long riverfront walk that is paved and amazing. I love being outside, and I love finding new trails to take. I never get bored. I spend the time walking thinking about things and clearing out my mind.

6) Baking. I love baking so much. I ask Mr. Cereal to take the kids to the park or out somewhere and I bake like crazy. I can get some real relief going through a recipe and methodically measuring and mixing. And the end result is something delicious to eat.

7) Showering alone. This is a big one for me. I love long hot showers, but with the two littles, it is really hard to spend more than 10 minutes in there alone. Mr. Cereal and I have worked it out so that I have a couple of nights a week where I can shower alone and not have to worry about the kids. It is bliss to stand and not be bothered for a while.

8) Sleeping in once a week. Mr. Cereal and I have a deal that he gets to sleep in on Saturdays and I get to sleep in on Sundays. Most of the time I don’t actually sleep in, but I read or watch something on TV that I normally wouldn’t. Really, just laying in the bed alone for an extra hour is really nice.

.  .  .  .  .

It’s tough trying to balance everything but as the kids get older, I find myself craving more time alone and luckily for me, I have a partner that is willing to help me. One of the things that my doctor told me that has really stuck with me is that as parents, we need to take good care of ourselves to be able to take good care of our kids. Being healthy and happy makes our relationships with our kids and partners stronger.

What kinds of things do you do to get me time?