Mommy needs a Timeout!

Thank Goodness It’s Friday. The week flew by, but today is proving to be a challenge. My 4 1/2-year-old daughter has had a bossy, my-way-or-the-highway attitude all morning and nothing I say or do means a thing to her. This summer thing was fun for a while, but now I am definitely starting to look forward to that magical time of year we call “back to school.”

Looking back at the week, it’s no wonder I’m exhausted and my patience is gone. Three trips to the pool, one gymnastics class, two swimming lessons, one speech therapy session, three playdates, one library storytime and one family outing to the town’s local summer concert series — all on the heels of a weeklong vacation away from home. So, add eight loads of laundry, a week’s worth of mail to sort,  several last minute visits from relatives, and one dirty house to clean, I guess it makes sense that I need a break.

Many moms have family or friends they can lean on for support. If you do, I highly suggest taking them up on offers of babysitting or playdates! It’s wonderful if you can swap with someone or make it up by helping them with something else later in the week.

For me, no one in my family lives nearby, and while my friends are wonderful and do regularly offer, they have their own kids and I don’t like to impose on them unless it’s a total emergency. And so, when I need a mommy time-out, I may do one of the following:

• Go for a drive at naptime. The kids can sleep while you get some much-needed peace and quiet. Perhaps you could drive to a quiet park or scenic beach and bring a good book or that magazine you’ve had for weeks on your coffee table.
• Join a gym or the YMCA with child care available. Burn off some stress with a workout, or relax in the sauna or by the pool. It may sound indulgent and selfish, but a mental break is just as good for you as physical exercise.
• Have a playdate with a good friend. If your kids are able to get along and play on their own for a while, a visit with another mom whom you trust can do wonders for your mood.
• Play some uplifting music and have a dance party with your kids. Music always elevates my mood, and if you act totally silly, your kids’ tempers will cool and in no time, everyone will be laughing.

How’s this for irony….since being interrupted at least four times since beginning this post, I have received the official public school letter, welcoming my daughter to Pre-K this year and announcing her teacher, start date and session assignment.  ”Back to school” is just around the corner!

What are other ways you take a Mommy time-out when you need a break?

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