A friend found this great article and I just had to share its contents
with as many moms as I know.
So many times we get stuck in the day to day
taking care of everyone else but ourselves.
If we don't take care of us, who will?
We are just as important as the rest of our family!
Here a few reminders,
that it is more than okay to put yourself first
once in a while
to keep you and your family HAPPY!!
Happy Mom = Happy Home!!
Here are 10 things happy moms do--
so remember these tips in your day-to-day life!
1. Find time for yourself
Happy moms know they deserve a little time to themselves. When you know you're going to have a little room to breathe later on in the day, it's easier to take on everything that's in front of you. Our formula? Take 2 hours out for yourself every 3 days.
{This is so true, if you worked a 72 hours shift, don't you deserve AT LEAST a 2 hour break?}
2. Don't make a happy baby, happier!
We all do it...you see your baby's head at what you're sure is an unnatural angle snoozing in their car seat. You just know they'll be happier if their head was straight. So you move them. And they wake up. Then they scream. Or, you see them playing happily in the sand. You just know they'll be happier if they played on the slide. So you interrupt them and move them to the slide. And they're angry. And they let you know they're REALLY angry. Here's the thing, they were happy. It can be hard to do, but if your kid's not complaining, leave them be!
Happy baby = Happy Mommy.
{Didn't understand how effective this was until baby #2}
3. Embrace the mess
So your house doesn’t look like something out of a magazine. That just means it’s cozy! Your children have hands coated in dirt from the playground and faces coated in spaghetti from dinner. It’s not gross—it’s an adorable photo op! Life is about how you look at things. Next time that pile of laundry that’s been sitting on the chair for three days starts to get you down, just remember…
it’s probably feng shui.
{I like to think our house is cozy too!}
4. Make time for your friends
Your family can survive without you while you
make time to see friends. You are a woman with your own identity and its imperative that you and that identity go out for some margaritas once in awhile!
{GIRLS NIGHT!!!}
5. Stop blowing yourself off
While you may be the one taking care of everyone, it doesn't mean you can't also get what you want. Help your family realize your needs are as important as theirs and when mom is happy, everyone is happy, but when mom is not....
{no one is happy, especially Daddy!}
Take 10 minutes to do absolutely nothing but rest. Take a break from your day, close your eyes, breath in slowly and deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Repeat several times. Think about a place you love that is relaxing, spend 10 minutes there in your mind.
{This works really well when you about to pot your top after your little one has dumped applesauce on top of their head!}
7. Remember your dreams and goals
Everyday we are encouraging our children to reach their full potential. But sometimes in the midst of being a parent we forget about our own dreams and goals. The best thing you can do to encourage a child is to lead by example –happy moms hold on to their dreams and goals and don’t let go.
{Have a hobbie, find a creative outlet, stay active!}
8. Be lighthearted
Don't be the uptight mom. Be silly and dance with your kids to their music or tv show tunes. Be romantic and pull your partner into a waltz. Dance in slippery socks in your kitchen while making dinner.
{Thanks for dancing on the coffee table with us Mom ;}
9. Bend the Rules
One of the best parts of making the rules is occasionally breaking them. Maybe it’s taking your child out of school for half a day on their birthday, or waking them up in the middle of the night to see a sky of shooting stars. Happy moms know how to turn the mundane into fun.
{This one always made me feel special, I look forward to making those memories with my little ones}
10. Mind your own business
Concentrate on creating your life the way you want it. Take care of you and your family. Don’t get overly concerned with what other people are doing or saying. Don’t get caught up with gossip or name calling. Stop seeking the validation of others and be confident in yourself.
{10 years from now...
Cadee: But Mom, Bella's Mom lets her...
Me: I am not Bella's Mom, I am your Mom!
I heard this conversation many times growing up
and I am sure I will be having it many more with my girls ;}
What do you do for yourself that makes you a happy mom?
Happy Mom,
Erica
xo
