My household has pretty much been shut down this past week and a half due to this horrible and fast spreading virus called the FLU :(
When your children range in age from just 3 years old - 10 years old you automatically know when one gets sick they are all about to get sick so you prepare yourself. You go and buy every fever reducer, pain reliever and cough suppressant they have for children. You wash every bed sheet and pillowcase. You scrub vigorously every counter top and handle with bleach and lysol and pray that it is enough.
As a mother, what you normally DON'T do, is realize that not only will this sickness take a toll on the kids but it will take a toll on you. The countless nights staying awake making sure their coughs don't get too bad, or the 2am shower holding the 3 year old to bring his temperature down to a bearable number. The knocks on the door in the middle of the night that they can't sleep, and the countless of hours during the day trying to get them to eat something healthy to help speed the recovery process. These are all things that we just do. We don't think twice about it. We are MOMS. We don't fear these tasks in life and we do them without complaining, but our bodies don't always want to keep up with us.
And then, when all is said and done, and the kids start to feel better the ULTIMATE DREADED THING HAPPENS.
MOM GETS SICK!
So this leads me to my blog post today. When I am sick I feel like I get so behind on everything I am supposed to do. My work kept wanting production, I just wanted sleep. My kids wanted everything under the sun, and I just wanted to soak in a hot shower. Groceries needed to be bought, homework needed to be done, bills needed to be paid. I felt that if I did nothing,even just for 15 minutes, that I was failing in some sort of way. I also knew that if I didn't take care of myself, and just STOP feeling like I had to do something, I wasn't going to get better. So this reminder was perfect. Sometimes, it's ok to kick back and do nothing. Sometimes it is ok to take a few minutes to breath. When you get the kids to bed go run yourself a nice hot bath and use that bath bomb you have had in your closet for a month because you NEVER have time to take a bath anymore. Enjoy those 5-10-15 minute breaks in life, as we do deserve to relax and have a true balance in our life that leads to a higher level of energy and peaceful zen in our daily activities.
There are certain things in life that I absolutely love to use to relax. Check some of them out if you are interested in adding some balance to your hectic life as a mom. Post in Comments things you do to help rest and relax so maybe someone else can gather some new ideas too!
ConAir Foot Massager - nothing better then soaking your feet after a long day in a nice epsom salt warm spa bath. Even better that it is portable and you can set yourself up in front of the tv with a glass of wine!
Lavender Bath Bombs - There is something about the scent of lavender that forces my body to relax and get in balance with itself. It's a very light and airy fragrance but with an powerful way to calm you.
Identity Thief - WHAT!? No, it's not what you are thinking. It is a movie! If you haven't seen it and love comedy like I do it's a must! I think part of relaxation is not just body but mind. Sitting back and watching any good movie can help relax and release yourself from all of your daily thoughts.
John Grisham Book - And to finish it all off, a GREAT BOOK. My favorite author of all time is John Grisham. At one point in time I have read most of all of his books. They captivate you from beginning to end and really allow you to escape into the reality of the characters. I find that I can get lost in a book for hours and really feel refreshed afterwards.
I hope you find some ways to bring balance in your life
Thanks for reading and until next time!
RBHW