Do you ever have those days—when you’re going a mile a minute—when your thoughts are having trouble keeping up with all you need to get done? What do you do when you’ve got a mountain of “stuff” that must be done, but at the same time, your kids are wanting your attention?
You breathe.
You are not a “bad” mom if you cannot give everything to everyone at the exact moment that they claim to need it. You are not a “bad” mom if your children spend an entire day watching television because you’re working from home and have a deadline. You’re not a “bad” mom, either, if you’re not working from home, but are simply exhausted and need a break and therefore THAT is why your children are watching television all day.
Being a mom is filled with activity. You’re busy getting kids ready for school. You’re busy getting yourself ready. You’re making breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or at least paying a drive-through or delivery person to do it for you (and that’s okay by the way). You’re trying to keep your house in order (when you have the time and energy) and you may be working outside the home or working inside the home. The point is—YOU’RE BUSY. And business leads to exhaustion. No one operates on a full tank of emotional gas all the time. Eventually your body crashes and let’s you know YOU-NEED-TO-REST.
So the next time you’re exhausted, go ahead—let the house look like you’ve been robbed. Let the kids watch too much television. Let them eat carbohydrates all day long without a single morsel of vegetables in site. They’ll survive. You’ll get some much-needed rest, and will have the energy to tackle the “stuff” tomorrow. Give yourself a break now and then—it’s the best thing you can do for your family.
The lasting power of play dough