Today is going to be delightful! I’ve decided to heed the well-meaning advice from everyone around me about prioritizing my own needs first. You know the saying: “If Mom doesn’t take care of herself, how can she take care of everyone else?”—as if that’s a foolproof plan.
I kick off my morning by waking up before the little ones. What a luxury it is to have a whole five minutes at 6 a.m. to hazily watch my coffee drip into the pot. Oh wait, I had envisioned at least thirty minutes of peaceful solitude, but my children possess an uncanny ability to sense silence and disrupt it at the most inconvenient times.
What’s the difference between peacefully sipping hot coffee while pondering significant matters—like wondering when I last tweezed my eyebrows—and hurriedly spilling cold coffee all over my pajama pants while contemplating just how many hours of TV it takes before the kids’ brains start to dissolve? Yep, fantastic start.
Next, I aim to whip up a nutritious breakfast. Forget the studies that claim breakfast isn’t the most important meal of the day; I was raised with the belief that breakfast is non-negotiable. What a wonderful feeling it is to feel satisfied first thing, knowing I’m starting my day right with fresh berries and yogurt. Of course, my kids suddenly decide they want my breakfast instead of the sugary cereal they’ve been begging for. Sure, you can have your own bowls of yogurt, and yes, you can have my berries. Sharing is caring, right?
Wow, this is so fulfilling.
Fueled by cold coffee and spoonfuls of yogurt scraped from the container, I think a shower would be the next logical step toward self-care. The idea is that being clean and dressed boosts productivity, but I can lounge around in my Target maxi dress just as effectively as in my worn-out pajamas. I crank up the TV volume, shed my clothes, and finally, bliss! Just as I start to relax, a child bursts into the bathroom.
“I need to pee!”
“Use the other toilet!”
“But I want to be with you!”
“Fine, but DON’T FLUSH.”
Okay, back to my moment of zen… FLUSH! I barely manage to dodge the sudden rush of water as my tranquil shower transforms into a chaotic scene with Elsa’s snow monster, Marshmallow. I step back under the water just as another child enters the bathroom.
“I have to poop!”
“There are two bathrooms!”
The shower curtain is yanked aside as my inquisitive child asks, “Can I shower with you?”
“No! I thought you had to poop? I’m done anyway.”
So much for leaving the shower with freshly shaved armpits. I shut off the water, grab a towel, and attempt to leave the bathroom, only to be told by the child now on the toilet that I need to stay. Since I’m committed to self-care today, I take a moment to apply some product to my hair and face.
As I finish applying makeup to the enthusiastic remark of, “Wow, you look so much prettier now, Mommy!” a commotion erupts in the living room. I step out only to be immediately summoned back to “help” wipe a bottom. Apparently, I should also start asking for “help” with the laundry so I can avoid it entirely.
Wrapped in a towel, I stroll into the living room, where a fierce battle over the TV remote is underway, and my toddler has somehow bypassed the baby gate to dance on the dining table, surrounded by soggy cocoa puffs. At least I won’t have to worry about getting this mess on my clothes.
The rest of my day unfolds in a similar chaotic manner: tending to the kids so I can tend to myself, and then cleaning up after the kids. Eventually, I concede. My new definition of successful self-care? Feeding everyone granola bars and fruit snacks until Dad comes home, when I can finally indulge in some peace and shave my armpits.
If you’re looking for more tips in the world of parenting, check out our post on navigating your fertility journey with an artificial insemination kit, which can be found here. For more resources on health management, visit this site. And if you’re in need of solid information on pregnancy and home insemination, this blog is a fantastic resource.
In summary, the aspiration of self-care as a parent often gets lost amid the daily chaos of family life. The journey to prioritize oneself can become a juggling act of meeting everyone else’s needs while trying to squeeze in a moment of tranquility—if only for a fleeting moment.