There are dishes and laundry staring at me, dinner is a non starter and it’s garbage night. Oh joy. My get-up-and-go got up and left, it would seem. Fortunately, moms like us, can learn everything we need to know about relaxing with a search online.
I am out of gas, toast, zonked, kaput, pooped, done in and definitely dead on my feet. But I think I can manage to get through it with a little self kindness and some help from the family. Are you listening, you guys?! I have a few ideas.
Pajamas
I cannot begin to tell you how much I love my pajamas. There should be a national holiday dedicated to the brilliant inventor of these super comfortable clothing items. I won’t wear them to Wal-Mart and I won’t drive the kids to school in them (what if the car breaks down?) but once I’m in for the evening, I’m the queen of flannel. And while we’re at it, girls – sling shot that bra right into the laundry hamper! It’s all about comfy now.
A Bath
Or shower. I’m a shower girl myself. Hot water, aromatic shower gels and shampoo, rich hair conditioner and solitude. Aaaaaaaah. In a perfect world, there would be nobody knocking on the door asking “Mommy, when are you coming out?” but that might be too much to ask. Now, if I could only turn my brain off during a relaxing bath.
A Drink
That’s right, a drink. Just one drink – a glass of wine, a cold beer, pick your poison. My middle son was very difficult to put to bed as a new baby and my reward to myself every night, after he was finally asleep, was one bottle of beer. Let me tell you that was the best bottle of beer ever.
A Surprise
Not a 2 tickets to Hawaii kind of surprise (those are okay too!) but the surprise of a strangely clean kitchen, a dinner you didn’t have to make, flowers just because or an iced cappuccino.
Alone Time
You love them, in fact, you’re just crazy about that ragtag bunch of rowdies you call a family but sooner or later you will want a little time to yourself. It’s a good thing for everybody’s mental health. When my kids were little, some days they made Mommy just a little squirrely, so when their dad came home, I took a little breather at the mall. As soon as I heard somebody’s little one start to cry, I instantly missed my own kids and had to go home. Figure that one out!
Your Thing
What’s your thing? Is it running, reading, Candy Crush, scrapbooking, catching up on The Walking Dead or vegetable gardening? Whatever it is, it’s a treat to have a little free time, or me time, just to indulge in your favorite activity guilt-free and uninterrupted. It’s an escape, a mini vacation away from the must-dos in life. This Mom of 5 likes to read true crime books about serial killers. Hey, don’t judge!
Love
Messy, chocolate pudding face kisses from the kids and spontaneous “You look really pretty today.” from the husband. I have a lovely card my youngest son made for me when he was about 6 years old. On yellow paper, in purple crayon, it reads “Haqqy brithday, Mom. Your the beast!” Now that is love!
Caring
Caring is another form of love. It is the art of seeing that someone you love could use a little help. Toddlers will naturally cover Mommy with a blanket when she is lying on the couch with a migraine. Thoughtful spouses will try to lighten the load of the other when they see they are struggling. Tiny things like brushing the snow off her car, taking the garbage out, making a favorite dinner or running to the store for cold medicine all count. Most sad moods can be cured, I find, with a bouquet of yellow dandelions offered by a tiny child’s hand.