There are a thousand reasons why taking care of you is an imperative. Here are just a few. And if these don’t convince you, email me – I’ll give you a dozen others.
Because you deserve it. Yup. You are a mom. You have dedicated a tremendous piece of yourself to the care and feeding of others. You work hard every day to secure your family’s well-being. You deserve a little care, fun and joy.
Because you are the image maker. One day, when my son was about four, we were alone in the car when he said “I hope Aunt Sue never becomes a mom.” I was more than a little surprised. Aunt Sue was his favorite “auntie” among my dear friends and was, in fact, hoping to have a baby. I asked him why, assuming the answer would have something with having less time for him. “Because being a mom is so hard and I want Aunt Sue to be happy.” Yikes. What was the message I had been communicating through my words, attitude and deeds? We all say it, all the time: kids don’t miss a thing and if you are not taking care of you, if you are depleted, stressed and unhappy, believe me, they will know it.
Because it is impossible to keep giving unless you replenish the well. Seriously, it’s impossible. I know, I know, it’s possible in the short-term: like right now a friend’s two-year-old son has double pneumonia. She hasn’t slept in a week and has found an unbelievable store of reserves. But long-term? You must replenish in order to give.
Because if you don’t, resentment will ultimately catch up with you. Yes, we love our kids. And our kids and families are the number one priority for all of us. But you – the mom – are a full and complete individual. You have dreams. Hopes. Desires and ambitions. Those things do not disappear when you have children (okay, maybe they hibernate a little, but they’re still there). And if they are not recognized and respected, one day they will cause a fountain of resentment.
Okay, so now do you believe me? It is imperative that you take care of you. Still don’t believe me? Email me, and I’ll try again to convince you. joyce@macaronikid.com
