Even on the rare occasion that you end up with a few minutes to yourself, somehow thoughts of your children and to do list still creep in. Not to mention the #momguilt you feel for taking some time for yourself to begin with.
I watch my partner in absolute awe, as he blissfully watches a Netflix documentary without having a single thought about the dishes in the sink, the diapers that need to be bought tomorrow or feeling like he should have done more activities with our daughter during the day.
Why am I not able to shut my brain off the same way? It's a question I am sure many moms can relate to.
Running a household with young children is a 24/7 task and one that is never truly "done for the day". This makes it hard for the default caregiver to ever shut off completely...even when they do have free time. It's not only frustrating, but also tends to be an "elephant in the room" within our society.
It's a concept only other moms will understand and a topic only the younger generation of moms will speak openly about. Like many of the other less favourable sides of motherhood, the older generation seems to leave this one off the discussion table.
To truly be able to move forward and be better moms....we need to start having this tougher conversations. Talking about our feelings and normalizing some of the heavier ones is so important.
Carrying the mental load of a Household is draining. It's something that is very hard to switch off at the end of the day and is hard for anyone who isn't in the same situation to understand.
As moms, we need true free time for our mental health. If we are emotionally fulfilled and balanced, we can facilitate this for our children as well. It sets a good example to our kids that pursuing passions and hobbies is important .
A big reason so many moms tend to feel guilty taking time for themselves, is because they never saw their own mothers do it. It's time to break the generations of resentful moms who never get any downtime . The trend of no longer being an individual after becoming a mom needs to end.
The biggest tip to avoid feeling guilty, when taking some time for yourself is to remember that you will be a better mom when you return. Your kids will also grow up learning that alone time is valuable and everyone in a family unit deserves it.
What you choose to do with your free time is completely up to you! Personally, I prefer to work on my Etsy shop designs, create content or go for a walk/run. I like the feeling of accomplishment I get from any if these activities. That being said, sometimes you just need to lay on the couch and thats fine too.
The most important thing to remember is that you deserve time alone and you shouldn't feel guilty for taking it!
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