Do You Ever Relax, Guilt Free? by Rebecca Jacobson
Photo by Harits Mustya Pratama
I am a planner. I like everything to be organised and for my week to be well thought-out and carefully labelled on the calendar. My menu is created, my healthy snacks are baked at the beginning of the week and the kids school and social lives have been planned ahead of time. Each night before I go to bed I like the house to be in order and everything put away and ready for the next day. I have realized, however, that with children, planning is only a very rough guide of what may, or may not occur during that day or week or maybe even in that hour.
I have learnt so much as a mum (and I’m still learning every minute of every day), especially, not to be so hard on myself if things don’t go according to plan. I mean I love being organised and for everything to look neat and tidy, but, I love my kids more and when they tear through the house like a tornado I chant this to myself haha!
I guess, it is just my personality to be this way, and some days I do wish I was more relaxed to allow myself to have some time out or to give myself time to do things for me and not just for my family, oh and did I mention, to do it guilt free!
I feel at this point in their lives the little ones need my full attention most of the time and my 16-year-old needs me for many different reasons as most teenagers do. As Mum’s we are all the same, it doesn’t matter if we work part time, full time, if we stay-at-home or if we study, we all have one thing in common and that is thinking about our families and what our plan is to somehow benefit them, pretty much all the time!
My best thinking time is usually in the shower, I can come up with some great ideas while standing under the water with not a care in the world! This is usually comes to an abrupt end when I feel the cold glass door bang against me as my one year old has decided that I have had enough alone time or my three-year-old has to bring in all her outfits of choice for the day for me to look at. This is all done before school time with my poor 16-year-old step daughter trying to coax or bribe them back into the living area while trying not to come too close to the open bathroom door (it’s a sliding door with no lock).
What do you do for you, that is rewarding and guilt free and do you have family around to help when you need that time out for yourself or maybe for you and your partner to have a sneaky date night?
Rebecca is a Registered Nutritionist, owner of Live Well Nutritional Medicine and busy Mum of three. Her blog shares healthy tips, recipes, her favourite health, wellness and beauty products, along with her experiences as a Mum. Rebecca offers healthy, realistic and practical tips for you and your family.