One of the hardest things about being a stay-at-home-mom is never really having the option of what we call a Mental Health Day in our family. When I was working it meant calling in sick, even if I wasn't physically ill, taking the kids to daycare and just having a day of laying low, napping, reading, maybe getting ahead on a few chores if that's what had been weighing on me.
Anyway, lately I've really been feeling the need for a Mental Health Day. I end every day totally bottomed out, and haven't been waking up refreshed and ready to face another day.
Our schedule for this school year (and I've already explored any other options) is less than ideal. B goes to school two mornings a week from 8:45 to 11:45, and P goes three afternoons from 1:00 - 3:30. The mornings are fine - I get some time with P alone and that's been fun. But then it's a rush to get them home to eat lunch (do all kids eat so slooooooow?) and back out to get P to school. Then it's rush B home, try to get her to nap, inevitably have to wake her up to pick up P, do a couple errands and home to crab our way through the witching hours.
Anyway, it's not the end of the world but I've definitely been feeling like I spend my life rushing them to get ready, eat, get in the car, get out of the car, eat, sleep, back in the car, back out of the car, etc. It's making me grumpy and it's making them grumpy.
This morning Pacey woke up a little snuffly, having finished meds for a sinus infection YESTERDAY. B was a weepy overtired mess all morning and the combination was enough to inspire me to declare a Mental Health Day of sorts. I called Pacey in sick (it's preschool, it won't kill him to miss a day!), we all had a rest and B is still sleeping after 2.5 hours while P plays on the iPad. It's not a day on my own to do whatever I please, but it's pretty darn close and I'll take it. This afternoon the kids will help me bake a dessert for a meeting I'm hosting tonight, we will snuggle up and watch a movie, and tomorrow hopefully will all wake up with a fresh take on life.
1 comment:
I totally know how you feel!! I don't know why kids hate time out so bad. I would be excited for a few minutes to take a break and relax! On really bad days, I pop in a movie for them and I escape in a good book. Chocolate seems to help too.
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