The New "Ninety Percent" Yousponsored by Nailed It!
I started my family very young; I was married just out of high school, and my oldest child was born before I could drink alcohol legally. My second child quickly followed the first, and the next thing I knew, I could recite the words to every song ever sung by a big purple dinosaur before I was old enough to earn a college diploma, had I been inclined to actually go to college.
When my two oldest were still in diapers, I rarely left the house. We didn't have much money, and taking my two toddlers anywhere was an exercise in exhaustion. Just thinking about fumbling with diaper bags, car seats, and strollers was enough to make me yearn for a nap, so most excursions into the big, wide world ended in the planning stages. Then there was the total lack of time for myself. Any parent of a young child knows that it's impossible to use the bathroom without an audience; it takes special ops skills on par with Seal Team Six to be able to sneak away for a moment of peace and tranquility.
Looking back now, a lot older and just a teensy bit wiser, I realize how much undue stress I was putting on myself. I focused everything I had into raising my kids, and nothing into taking care of my needs. This led to depression, and at times resentment towards my family. Especially when my friends would regale me with tales of parties they had attended in their little black dresses, while I realized I'd had a Cheerio stuck in my hair for at least eight hours.
Yet if I could go back and do it all again, I'd still be that stay-at-home mom, I'd still skip the dinner parties for Disney movies with my little ones, and I'd still choose blue jeans over little black dresses. What I would do differently is take some time out for myself. I'd give my kids ninety percent instead of one hundred, and provide a better version of the mom they knew in return.
Let's face it, our general attitude towards others comes from how we feel about ourselves, and that old adage is true; if you look good, you feel good. So it stands to reason that if you take some time to shower, do your hair, and put on a little make-up, you're going to feel as good as you look. When you feel good, you can face the day with a better outlook, and be a better parent. You don't need to give your kids your everything, and you're not doing them any favors by sacrificing yourself to the point of burnout. So take some time out of the day to treat yourself, and give your family a better you!
Give yourself a spa skin treatment at home. Set your kids up with a movie or activity to occupy them, and then arrange for your spouse, significant other, older child, or a sitter to keep an eye on them for an hour. When they're all settled in, LOCK yourself in the bathroom! Light a few scented tea lights to set the mood, and provide relaxing aromatherapy. Take a spoonful of brown sugar and dampen it with a little olive oil for a homemade sugar scrub to exfoliate dry and dead skin. Rub it into heels, elbows, and/or callused hands until the sugar dissolves, then rinse the residue away. Once the dead skin has been sloughed away, a heavy lotion or body butter and hot, moist towels create a nice hydrating treatment for those problem areas. Brush the butter on thickly, and wrap with warm towels for five to ten minutes. You'll feel relaxed, refreshed, and your skin will thank you!
Sometimes you need to step away for a little while though, talk to other grownups, and be pampered instead of pampering yourself. When those times come, please consider stopping at Nailed It. We offer spa services at reasonable prices, and we see the whole you, not just your hands and feet. If you're confident, you are beautiful, and our goal is to make you feel fabulous inside and out!
Anne Schlegel is a married, mother of four, Nail Technician and Owner of Nailed It!
Nailed It! is located at 3122 Washington Avenue, Racine, WI 53405
Phone number is: 262-633-1555
Website: http://www.naileditsalon.com/
Great point, its hard to remember Mommy needs to be taken care of too! If Mommy isn't feeling good, its next to impossible for everyone around her to be feeling their best. A healthy Mommy mentally and physically means a healthy everyone else!
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