Today, I’m determined to have a great day. Following the well-meaning advice from countless sources to prioritize my self-care, I’m diving in. After all, “If Mom doesn’t take care of herself, how can she take care of everyone else?” Yeah, yeah, I get it.
I rise early, hoping for some peace before the kids wake up. What a joy it is to have a whole 5 minutes at 6 a.m. to watch my coffee brew! Of course, I was aiming for at least half an hour of solitude, but my kids seem to have an uncanny ability to sense silence and disrupt it immediately.
Is there really a difference between sipping warm coffee while pondering the last time I groomed my eyebrows and mindlessly scrolling through Pinterest, or spilling cold coffee all over my pajama pants while trying to calculate how much screen time is too much? Spoiler: Not much. Awesome start, right?
Then, I decide to whip up a healthy breakfast. Forget the studies suggesting breakfast isn’t crucial; I was raised with the belief that breakfast is non-negotiable. It’s a nice feeling to know I’m starting the day right with fresh berries and yogurt. But soon enough, my kids decide they want my breakfast instead of that sugary cereal they begged for. Sure, you can each have a bowl of yogurt; sharing is caring, right?
What a fulfilling experience this is turning out to be.
After gulping down cold coffee and scraping the last bits of yogurt from the container, I think a shower is just what I need to boost my self-care mission. Supposedly, being clean and dressed helps productivity, but honestly, I could lounge in my Target maxi dress just as well as in my old pajamas. I crank up the TV volume, strip down, and finally enjoy the warm water. Ahh, bliss! Just as I start to relax, a child bursts in yelling, “I have to pee!”
“Use the other bathroom!” I reply.
“But I want to be with you!”
Fine, but don’t flush, okay?
As I try to reclaim my moment of relaxation, another child barges in, declaring, “I have to poop!”
We have two bathrooms, but it seems my shower has become the designated waiting room. The shower curtain is pulled aside, and the little one asks, “Can I join you?”
“No! I thought you had to poop?” So much for smooth armpits. I turn off the water, grab a towel, and attempt to leave when another child insists I stay. Since I’m committed to self-care this morning, I take a moment to apply some product to my hair and skin.
As I finish up, I hear the sounds of chaos erupting in the living room. I step out of the bathroom only to be called back to help with a butt wipe. Maybe I should ask for help with laundry next time so I can avoid it altogether!
Wrapping myself in a towel, I head to the living room to find a fierce battle over the TV remote, overshadowed by the toddler who has somehow climbed onto the dining table, dancing on a pile of soggy cereal. At least I won’t ruin any clothes with this mess.
The rest of my day unfolds in this chaotic manner: take care of the kids, so I can take care of myself, so I can clean up after the kids. Eventually, I throw in the towel. My new definition of self-care? Just feed everyone granola bars and fruit snacks until Dad gets home, so I can finally shave my armpits in peace.
This article was originally published on July 19, 2023.
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Summary
This lighthearted article humorously explores the challenges of self-care for moms amidst the chaos of parenting. The author shares relatable anecdotes about trying to prioritize personal well-being while managing the demands of children, ultimately embracing the reality that self-care often takes a backseat.