name='p:domain_verify'/> Always A New Day : When Mommy Needs a Time-Out


7.08.2015

When Mommy Needs a Time-Out

My son had a chair in our dining room where he would go to “time-out” as needed. And, let me assure you, between ages 3 and 4, he frequented that chair quite a bit. Now, his little sister is starting to follow in his footsteps - it’s about to get fun, folks. 

But what about you? Moms need a time-out too.


I know they say to leave the littles for one minute per age - so my son would spend 3-4 minutes there. Wouldn’t it be great if moms could go sit in a corner, alone and quiet, following that same rule? I’d be in my thinking chair for almost 40 minutes. SIGN ME UP, PEOPLE.





There are so many things coming at us from different directions - from the physical challenge that comes with kids (do they ever SIT DOWN?) to the mental (please let me leave this store calmly while my cute, precious child throws her fit). WE ARE EXHAUSTED. So, in our case, time out is a good thing, one I encourage every mom to start stat.


How in the world do we do this as moms? How do we sneak away for our own quiet time? I thought I had it figured out when I had just one little love muffin, but now that there’s two, it took some planning, patience, and determination. Here’s how I take my time-outs:




Get a calendar. AND USE IT. Not just for the kid’s classes, play dates, and dentist appointments, but call/text a friend and put a plan in motion. I am so excited that I have a dinner date with some dear friends in 2 weeks. It’s on that calendar, and it’s not moving. Now, the hubs knows he’s in charge, and you get to look forward to alone time. With wine. Or ice cream.


Find your quiet time. I like to get up earlier than the kids. Sure, I could sleep in and let them wake me up, but there is nothing quite like the morning when I feel like I am the only one in the world. Get your workout on, drink your coffee in one sitting, watch the Today show instead of Dora. Maybe at first you can do it once or twice a week. I bet you will like that stillness that you do it more often. Another great idea - do a devotional and journal. I love hearing peaceful words before a busy day. If mornings don’t work, try nap time. When the littlest is napping, the biggest watches Netflix for a bit. Quiet time for everyone. Win-win.




Pick one night a week. And as Elsa says, LET IT GO. Hubs can get dinner or maybe do the bedtime routine while you take a bath. Or sit outside and enjoy a good book. I know - this one may be hard if you’re doing most of the work or if you are Type A like me. Sometimes, I will go to Target alone and just walk around and see what that quiet shopping thing is like (bonus points if you grab a Starbucks while browsing. A little piece of Heaven right there). Look at your calendars each week and pick your day - let everyone know that is mommy time and go hide away for a bit.

See? Time outs don’t sound so daunting now, do they? Don’t find time - MAKE TIME. We have so much on our plate, we need time to unwind and recharge. I HAVE to make time for this recharging, and I am grateful for my mommy friends who understand how dire alone time can be. Now, go get your calendars, look at your week ahead - what are you going to do for yourself? Trust me, everyone will thank you for it. Everyone loves a happy mommy.

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