Personal Maintenance Days - They're Totally a Thing

"Do what you love and take a break once in awhile for yourself so that you can recharge in being a mom. Even if it’s a trip by yourself to the grocery store or a drive up the canyon. I know I’m a much better mom if I take a moment just for myself. Moms need it." - Aubrey Grossen, Thriving Mama Blogger, The Mamahood Blog

You change diapers, feed the baby, cook meals, clean the house, and check the finances. This mix is a melt down waiting to happen. As mothers we do so much for our family, but are we taking the time to do things for ourselves? If not, we desperately need to! Think about the pre-flight training that always happens when you fly. The attendees give you the run down of the plane and then they talk about what to do in the event of an emergency. Remember the procedure for if those oxygen masks drop from the ceiling and you have a child with you? No. You don't give it to your kid first. You give yourself that precious O2 first so that you can stay conscious enough to help your child! This is exactly how life is -  if you don't take care of yourself first you won't be able to take care of your children as effectively as you could!  Something that I have LOVED from Andrea (owner and creator of Tubby Todd Baby Care products) is a mommy "self-assessment." She says to ask yourself these 4 questions:

• Are you satisfied with your life as a mom?
• What areas of your life do you feel unsatisfied with?
• What are three things you can do to take care of yourself better mentally, physically and emotionally? 
• How do you think those three things will help you feel more satisfaction as a mother?

It's such a great idea to perform a self-assessment from time to time and make sure that we are focusing our energies in the right directions! With so many to-do's asking for more of our time it is easy to get distracted - and thus lose sight of what really matters. I remember that when I first had my son I felt like I was suppose to do everything all by myself with no help and be SUPERMOM. About a month in I could feel it. I was exhausted and emotional, but I didn't want to burden my husband with how I was feeling since he was working very hard too. As tears started to well up everyday I knew I needed to let him know how I was feeling - because I was very unsatisfied with my life as a mother. After talking to my husband we decided that I should start doing some things just for me, even if it was just for a minute (although a spa day once a week sounded amazing).  It was great to get that validation that I could take an hour here or there just for me and work on my mental, physical, and emotional self. So, here are 3 simple things that I love incorporated into my life to help me feel more satisfied as a mother! 

Taking Care of My Body

The first thing that I needed to do was start getting back into a healthy routine with exercising, eating fruits and veggies, and drinking plenty of water. I knew that if my body was healthy I would feel better. I also needed to add in a workout routine. Whenever I work out I automatically have 30 minutes of me time to blast music and sweat out all the worries. Plus, exercising has been proven to reduce stress. No one has more stress than a parent! Another thing to take care of your body (because your mind is definitely part of your body): put the phone down. 

Bubble Baths - You Probably Need One Anyway :)

Another easy maintenance activity is to simply take a bubble bath! I add epsom salts, light a candle, pour in the Tubby Todd Bubble Bath (which smells AMAZING BTW) and just lay there for 30 min. while babe takes a nap - because you know that child of yours will just hit the door until you get out, which totally contradicts the whole reason you're taking a bath. So do it when you have some quiet time and can sneak in there! Baths are great for relaxing all of your achey muscles; plus, when you add in some aromatherapy with the bubble bath and candles you are sure to feel that stress and worry dissipate. You will feel like a new woman!

Call the Girls!

Having a girls night is a one of my favorites. Who knows you better than your girls? If you feel bad about leaving your man behind with the kiddo, get all of your hubby's together to tend the kids! That way they can have a "guys" night and you won't have the stress of needing to get back soon. I love to grab some sushi and catch up on my friends' lives. We all understand each other and adore sharing our secrets to raising the kiddos. Plus, we can do face masks while watching our favorite shows and do what we do best - EAT! Don't take on more then you can handle (or want to handle). This doesn't mean to not push yourself, it just means to be mindful of where you're at! Remember: sometimes being selfish is okay! You need to take care of yourself in order to be the best mother you can be for your children.  I LOVE this quote from Isobel, a mommy blogger who runs Bel & Beau (which is a beautiful lifestyle blog), after talking about a day at the beach with her children - "Did you know that a mom’s satisfaction with her life is more important to a young child’s social and emotional skills than her education, income, and whether she has a job?" This is seriously true. Your children have come equipped with amazing emotional radars and are able to detect when you are the least bit satisfied. And, when you children detect that dissatisfaction they place the blame on themselves - because what else is there to do in a kids' mind? So do things to help yourself BE SATISFIED. Do things to make yourself HAPPY. Your children will be happier, your spouse will be more relaxed, and you will be ready to take on the world!