Mom funk. You hear about it. Have you ever experienced it? Since I was a little girl my dream was to be a stay at home with my babies. I had it all planned out on my goal list at 10. By 21 I would be married, 22 have first baby, 23 own first home. (At the time I thought 21 was 40.) My goal list wasnt quit to par….
How ever, when I got the opportunity of being a work at home mom when my daughter was born I never realized the mom funk you can slip in. We have no baby sitters, as both my husband and I’s family live out-of-state. With that being said I have little relations with adults unless it’s through an Etsy email, a pickup/drop off at school, or a sporting event.
I asked a stranger at the grocery store a few months ago if he needed a band-aid for his boo boo when he cut his finger opening a box. I wouldn’t change my life for the world. I’m blessed and thankful every day, I go to have a mommy pedicure once a year and find myself rushing back home to be with my children. With that all being said….I got tired….I got frumpy….Being a stay at home mom is the HARDEST JOB IVE EVER HAD. There are no lunch breaks, drive homes, days off, or mommy dates. I am on from the minute I wake up til the minute I lay my head down. I thought I had this amazing system down…..than I started to realized I was off-balance…
.I wake up around 6:30 when my kids wake up, make breakfast, run my son to any sporting, or event he has/ or school during the year, come play and chase my toddler, practice potty training, take her to dance, music, and gymnastics, nap time, than nap time hustle and bust out Etsy Orders, my volunteer obligations, phone calls, etc. in the down time, when she wakes up we pick my son up from school, do after school snacks and home work, play out side, make dinner, than do bath time, stories, bedtime. I’m assuming the other millions of stay at home moms have a schedule similar to this. Than BOOM I started to get this panicky feeling like I was drowning on a hamster wheel and failing just everywhere. (This was all in my head of course) but felt REAL none the less.
Than I realized I have no time for my self…That was no ones fault but my owns… I started really pondering where I could create more time to gain some sanity, and a few key things came to mind.
- I was sleeping in to the last bitter second when my kids woke up.
- I hadn’t put make up or an out fit that didn’t have at least 90% spandex 10% cotton on in over 6 months. i.e. yoga pants.
- I had stopped working out or doing any thing for myself, besides mommin, wifing, and working.
It was time for a change. An internal mommy makeover.
It dawned on me a few weeks ago. What type of example am I setting to my children by not taking care of myself? By running my self into the ground? By constantly having someone ask me for something, and always saying yes?
I challenged myself and I want to challenge you! Maybe you will laugh at me, or maybe you will say YES THATS ME!!!! (I am hoping obviously we go with option B.)
- Shower every day. (Dont be shy moms… we all know you don’t) That 20 minute break can be pure bliss.
- Put makeup on every. single. morning. even if your rushed! 5 minutes to look in the mirror and say I look presentable and not like I just rolled out of bed.
- Make at least 4 hours a week dedicated to working out. Going for a bike ride with my kids, a walk with the dog, an early morning of home work outs. SOMETHING TO MOVE YOUR BODY.
- Wake up at least 1 hour before my children to have some mommy self time in the mornings.
These few simple things in just a few weeks have been changing my life. It takes 21 days to break a cycle or habit of schedule. Here is my 21 day challenge! LOVE YOURSELF MOMMIES! You work hard and are not underappreciated! Mom funks are NORMAL and all of us struggle at one point or another! Parenting is a journey that is rewarding, challenging, and builds us into a stronger character than we ever thought we could be. Your cup must be full to make sure your families gets filled daily!