I spend so much time blogging and educating about the importance of documenting our little ones, what is important to document and why, and how to make the best digital photo and video scrapbooks so that our kids can know just how much we love them. These things are very important and letting our kids know in more ways than one just how much they are loved will set a strong foundation of confidence throughout their lives.
But something I realized this past weekend while being pampered at the Mommy Blogger Pre-Reception for the Pregnancy Awareness Month kick-off event is that we really need to make sure to take time out for ourselves, and not just during nap time and after we put our little one's to bed. I had planned to attend the event with my son, as he is almost always with me. But his runny nose and cough made me think twice about being "that mom." It turned out to be for the best, as I was able to take a step back for an afternoon and focus on me.
As moms we give so much to our little ones: from the moment I found out I was pregnant I became hyper conscious about everything I was putting into my body and well as on it, the environment I was inhabiting, and even the air I was breathing in order to give my son the best start in life. I extensively researched everything that I brought into our home for him. My baby registry was chock full of organic and natural items. I took numerous precautions to avoid being GBS positive so that my son wouldn't be exposed to antibiotics during birth, I took all sorts of herbs and homeopathic pellets near the end of my pregnancy to help with having an all-natural childbirth, because I believed it was best for him. I endured a month of extremely painful nursing, consulted lactation consultants and researched everything I could get my hands on to become successful at breastfeeding because I believed it was best and am happy to be able to continue to do so through his second year of life.
But what I l realized this weekend while having a complimentary eyebrow waxing, a really informative make-up consultation (both courtesy of the all-natural evolue beauty store of Beverly Hills), and a wonderfully relaxing chair massage (courtesy of Berlin Wellness and Chiropractic), is that if I don't take the time to focus on me, at least a little here and there, I can't be the best mommy that I can be to my son, nor the best wife to my husband. I want to set a positive example for my child, teach him about treating himself with the respect and love he deserves so that others in turn will do so as well. As a stay-at-home mom/mompreneur I tend to forget about the importance of "me time" and consequently cannot be my best self as a mom and a wife. It's definitely true that our lives become more full as we become life partners and mothers, but we forget that we were a whole person before any of this happened and need to make sure to continue to take care of that whole person for everyone else's sake too.
Give everything you have to your kids, they deserve it, but they also deserve a happy and healthy mommy who takes the time to put herself first..at least once in a blue moon.
No comments:
Post a Comment