I don’t know about you, but I think that occasionally moms need a time out too. There are times when I think I’m just not going to get through the day! The kids are acting crazy, the screaming is at a fever pitch, nothing I make for them to eat seems to be the right thing, and sleep has all but went extinct for the last few nights. I’m exhausted! My husband, bless his heart, is really great at pitching in and helping out around the house. He’ll take the kids out for a short break for me and they love the time alone with Dad.
I love to get together with girlfriends and NO KIDS, and remember what it means to get our sanity back! Who else understands exactly what you’re going through than your friends who are going through the same thing?! Let’s face it… Moms Need A Time Out Too! We have a variety of things that we plan together and it’s Ahhhhhh-mazing! These times are exactly what I need to recharge, reboot, and unwind. And when I’m back home in the comfort of family life, I feel ready to conquer another day and another meltdown 😉
So what are some of the “Time Outs” that this Mom takes? Here are some ideas!
Book Club
My girlfriends and I schedule a regular book club where we all rotate turns on picking a book, along with a restaurant that we go to for discussion. I’m not going to lie…there are times we’re out for 2-3 hours and we maybe talk about the book for a solid 15 minutes. But it is SO nice to go out and spend time in adult company, enjoying a lovely meal together that we can actually sit through and enjoy (no tantrums!). That’s exactly what we need. Conversations always turn to what’s going on with our families, we make plans for our next get together, and of course, the book. We all leave happier than when we arrived. It doesn’t hurt that a majority of my girlfriends are avid readers, so a book club is a fun and relevant way to stay current on the good reads that are out in the world month by month. And it gives me a bit of time to myself between book clubs to actually read the book!
Wine Night
So yeah…my friends and I are over the club scene. Crowded bars? Not our thing. But we have a local favorite wine bar that we absolutely love going to once every other month or so. They have comfy couches and chairs to lounge in, a selection of wine that will blow your socks off, and some great appetizers to feast on between sips. It’s SO relaxing. Great music is playing in the background, but that’s where it stays…in the background! It’s not thumping in our face and we can still talk to each other without worrying about getting our eardrums blown out. Ha! We generally celebrate each others’ birthdays here, milestones, the end of busy work schedules, or anything else that requires a little “night out on the town.” It’s our go-to ladies night destination and is a great way to take a little time out from the kiddos and take care of yourself for a change!
Weekend Away
Once or twice a year, my girlfriends and I will plan a weekend away. Sometimes we travel somewhere fun that requires plane rides and hotels, sometimes we go somewhere that is a couple hours away and includes a spa, and other times we trek it to someone’s cabin or family house where it’s cheap, low-key, and away from the kiddos. These types of weekends can be a little bit more difficult to plan with so many schedules and budgets to accommodate, but they are so needed and welcomed! For example, we’re going to be doing one of these weekends in the next couple of weeks and we are just going to a friend’s cabin that is about an hour away. We will be staying in and making dinner, everyone is bringing something to drink or to snack on, and hopefully the weather will cooperate so we can sit outside on the deck all night and enjoy a bonfire and some cocktails. Nothing crazy and we’re only going for one night, but it is a PERFECT retreat that will be within everyone’s budget and is only one night away for those who get anxious at the thought of being gone an entire weekend. It’s ALL we can talk about right now and we are SO excited!
Sweating It Out
Joining workout classes with friends always beats doing it solo! Who else is going to pump you up like your girlfriends and will razz you if you just don’t feel like going?! It’s the perfect set-up and one that we take advantage of quite regularly. We also happen to live by a beautiful jogging path that follows a river in our town that is a GREAT place to work out, not to mention is an absolutely gorgeous area. So we meet on a regular basis to walk the path together to get some exercise. Believe me, I know it can be hard to find that time to exercise when you feel like you have 10 million other things that are pulling you in different directions. Exercise can seem like the least important on that list of things to get done everyday. But it’s something that needs to be done regularly, not just for you, but for those kiddos of yours, too. We all want to make sure we see them for decades to come and be as healthy as we can possibly be for them! So…if you’re going to exercise, why not find a way to incorporate a little friend-time into it, too!
Solo Time Out
As much as I love and cherish my friends, there are times when it’s appropriate for me to just have a little “me-time.” As moms, I think we can all agree that time like this comes few and far between, so when I’m able to snatch some of it up, it’s welcomed! Recently, my husband took a business trip and it just so happened it was somewhat close to his parents. He offered to take the kiddos with him so Grandma and Grandpa could have a little one-on-one time with them and of course, I vehemently denied it at first. How could I be without my babies for TWO DAYS?! But the more he talked me off the ledge, the more I could see that this would be a great way for me to get some things done around the house, as well as a much needed reprieve to score a little extra sleep. I knew it was the right thing to do. Did I miss them? BIG TIME! But…I can’t even tell you how magical it was to have two days in the house to myself! It was truly a vacation and I never even went anywhere! Sometimes, little breaks like these are exactly the fuel you need to charge through with your Mommy duties.
Overall, it’s all about getting some time with your girlfriends to take a break and regroup, along with getting some alone time every once in awhile. Moms deserve some time away too, and I really believe it’s good for my family to have me step away at times to recharge the battery. I come home happier, my patience is back in check, and it’s a great way to talk over challenges and triumphs I’m experiencing in Mommy Land! Who better to bounce your frustrations and joys off of than other mommies who are going through the same season of life? So take some time for yourself and don’t feel guilty, enjoy!
Do you have any favorite ways to decompress from all of the daily Mommy responsibilities? Comment below and share with us your good ideas for when Mom needs a time out! 🙂
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