How the Heck Does a Mom Relax Anyway

Can the words “mom” and “relax” be used in the same sentence? Is there such a thing? Should moms be able to have moments of relaxation? Do we even have a right to it, or did we birth the right to seeking moments of sanity into oblivion when we gave birth?

Personally, I think it is imperative that moms find ways to relax. I know what I do to steal away for moments of quiet and fulfillment, but what fulfills and calms me does not necessarily “do it” for all moms. I decided to take this issue to my friends on Facebook and Twitter. I received some wonderfully thoughtful responses. But the very first response was from a friend on Twitter. @bethaquotaholic (author of the Living a Quotable Life blog) tweeted:

“Mom relaxing” does not compute!!

True that! I have to say, I am certain many, many, many moms feel that way about the idea of relaxation. It is almost like chasing the wind… the idea is there, but nearly impossible to grab hold of. Yes?

Personally? I struggle with relaxation. I struggle with feeling like I deserve to take the time to do it. There are so many things that need to get done, I often feel irresponsible if I am not constantly being “productive.”

Can anyone relate to that?

There is a serious problem with this. A problem many of us share (misery loves company!). Is it possible for a mom to give to the extent we must if we are always running on empty? Does the inability to find quiet moments affect our parenting, our friendships, our work?

Do we have any idea how “running on empty” steals from the fullness we could be giving and using? As moms, “giving” is as much a part of what we do as is breathing. We need to find… no… we need to fight for even the smallest moments so we can fuel up. We need to have something from which to give.

Need ideas? Well, a group of wonderful women recently took time to share with me how they do it – or how they wish they could do it. There were so many wonderful ideas, I need to make this article a two-parter! So, part of your “assignment” until I post their ideas is to look at your schedule. Can you identify even just 5 minutes you can “steal” for yourself? Ideas are great, but we need to identify the time to implement them. Can you find just 5? Start with 5. Baby steps. I’m not asking you to go away to a spa for a weekend… not yet. But if you do, can ya email me? I wanna know how you pulled that one off!

Image credit: Jenny Ingram

Jenny Ingram is the mother of three children (ages 4, 6 and 9) and lives near Seattle in Washington state. She loves writing here at Type-A Mom, for her own blog (Jenny On The Spot), and has a passion for encouraging moms in this journey…for she has been encouraged.

Related posts:

1. Strategies for Helping Your Toddler Relax
2. SAHM Learns To Relax