A couple of months ago, when I was feeling a little down as a parent, I shared that Monica had started to tell us to go away. At the time, I was pretty upset and felt unsure of my parenting skills. With a little hindsight, I think I get it and am OK with her telling us, “away!”
Last month, we had some friends from St. Louis stay with us. For two days, our little ranch was home to four adults (including two pregnant mamas) and three kids ages 5 and under. Let’s just say things got a little rowdy at times! The kids all got along really well, but by the end of the weekend, everyone was pooped.
Coincidentally, the Gospel reading for that Sunday included Jesus telling the apostles,
Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.
And the deacon’s homily was all about taking time out of our busy lives to recharge physically, spiritually, and emotionally. That includes turning off the electronics, getting outside, and spending a little time in quiet.
That’s when it clicked, even my toddler knows the importance of “me time.” Sometimes she spends an extra 20 or 30 minutes stretching out and relaxing in her crib after waking up from a nap (especially on busy weekends). Yes, telling us “away” in the process. When we have a house full of people, she tends to take extra time for herself. Monica also snuggles a bit longer to make sure we reconnect after an emotionally draining day (sharing your toys is tough!)
As I head into the final stretch of this pregnancy, how am I prioritizing “me time”? Admittedly, it’s going to be a little harder to sneak it in. But it’s so important to balance taking care of myself so that I can take care of two kiddos. Thankfully, John is extremely helpful around the house and will take Monica to the grocery store or park to give me an opportunity to kick up my (sometimes chubby) feet. Lately, “me time” revolves around nap time on the weekends.
How do you sneak in a little extra time for yourself? Especially if you have multiple kiddos?
Waking up earlier in the mornings for “me time” is also great! You have the house to yourself and extra time for coffee or reading.
Ginger – Waking up early seems to be a common strategy to sneak in a little extra “me time.” At this point, I need all the sleep I can get, so maybe my “me time” is getting a good night sleep ;)