Being a mom is one of the most precious gifts. Watching the joy on your child’s face when they accomplish something for the very first time is priceless. Even when they make a discovery all on their own, it’s enough to make even the most difficult day better.
However, being a mom means that you put yourself last. Every. Single. Time. When you do find time for yourself it will be more relaxing and enjoyable if you know that you are not breaking the budget. Here are some great ideas to enjoy your time to yourself without spending too much money.
Enjoy a Relaxing Bath with Essential Oils Bath Salts
The best time for a relaxing bath at my house is after the kids have gone to bed. Once they are all snuggled in their beds, fill up the tub with warm water, add your favorite relaxing essential oil bath salts, and light a candle or two that will fill the bathroom with just enough light. The best part about baths after bedtime is that no one will be knocking on the door calling your name or (worse) barging in on you! You can take the time to relax and ease the tension from your day.
Head to the Library
When my kids were all little, we went to a library with a fabulous children’s area and I would watch the kids meander through all the toys and play with the train for a while, then they would climb on my lap and bring me stacks of books to read. It was a nice escape from the mundane of home, especially in winter.
Most libraries have story time at least once a week. Some libraries even have activity days, in which the little ones will get to enjoy fun crafts related to favorite children’s stories. If your kids are old enough, you can drop them off at the class and settle down nearby with a good book. You can also take that time to find several books to take home for yourself later. Reading is a great way to get some me time no matter where you are.
Take a Walk
For years, I would get up before my husband left for work and before the kids woke up for the day and head out for a brisk walk with a good friend. We walked in all seasons, rain or snow included, and talked and listened. It was the perfect start to our day to have some personal time before busy took over.
Exercising is a great way to release stress and endorphins. You can even listen to a new audiobook while burning away calories. Sometimes you just need an excuse to spend some time alone and walking is a great way to do that. These days when I need a break from my teens, I take the dog for a quick walk around the neighborhood.
Take a “Breather” on the Porch
Again, when my kids were little, I would park them in front of a short video on one side of the sliding glass door, open the door but close the screen and park myself on the other side of the sliding glass door on the back deck. I could hear them, and see them. In the spring and summer I would dead-head and water my flowers and sit among them for a few minutes.
Just standing outside taking deep breaths in the fresh air for a few minutes does amazing things for my mental and emotional health though. You should try it. Even with teens and tweens in the house, I still enjoy a few private moments on the back deck or front porch.
Have a Friend Over to Chat
Mid-week each week a good friend and I get our kids together to hang out while we just chat. The kids play, the teens play, and we talk. Sometimes I think it’s a therapy session for both of us, but mostly it’s just good friendship. And it’s me time for both of us in the middle of busy weekdays.
The one thing I want to make sure you hear is that you should never feel guilty for needing a little down time without kids at your elbow. Keeping this time budget-friendly helps with the guilt-factor for sure! When a mom can think and breathe for a few minutes alone, it can reset the day for everyone.
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Dan Graber says
February 1, 2018 at 2:10 AMAmy, I was roaming the web to see what kids are being taught about creation and just like 50 years ago nothing much is out there to counter the uniformitarian, evolutionary, indoctrination we get throughout our lives. Fun activities to Teach Creation with a Biblical worldview needs to include the catastrophic changes listed in the Bible. Just as sin brought death and limited the length and pleasure of life, so also Noah’s Flood brought a world wide catastrophy that destroyed the entire surface of the earth. We are not living in the same world that was originally created. That world was destroyed atmosphere and all. A Biblical worldview includes catastrophic changes to everything as mentioned in the Bible including: the tilt of the earths axis and introduction of seasons after the Flood, an additional 5.25 days in a year, a new hydrologic cycle, the reduced lifespan of man, and the re-arrangement of the entire surface of the earth. Clouds are not mentioned until chapter 9 of Genesis because there were no clouds on the earth until Noah’s flood.
The atmosphere created on day 2 had waters above but this water was not in the form of clouds that are introduced with the Flood. The Bible says water used to rise up out of the ground to water the land, and rivers did not drain runoff from the land as they do today, but distributed the water to the land. The current hydrologic system with clouds was not created on day two of creation as your lessons teach. Science teaches that rainbows require rain, and rain requires clouds, and rainbows and clouds are introduced in chapter 9 of Genesis not day two of the creation week. Thank you, hope this helps, and let me know if you need more info.