Parenting Guru: Sometimes I choose me

I love you guys now get it yourself
I love you guys now get it yourself

You're a mom, you know how it goes. You give and you give and you give some more and when you're not busy giving some element of yourself to someone or something, you feel guilty. What's up with that?

And so I say this: Mommy guilt can suck it!

I've never been busier or stressed in a good way than I am right now and I made the decision that it's OK to choose me sometimes. I have to.

See, I love my kids and my house and everything but it's either time to expect more out of them or less from myself.

Meal time

My kids are grazers, they eat all the time. Just when I get them situated with a meal and sit to eat for myself, they need more milk, or an extra napkin, or something. By the time I finally reach my food it's cold and I'm forced to eat it at record speed over the sink while I check homework and listen to someone beg me for a Band-Aid. Dude! So now I get everyone situated, give them a last call for anything they may want/need and I eat. Seated. If you need more anything or an extra anything you are going to politely need to wait exactly 5.5 minutes while I inhale what's on my plate because I am a fast eater and darn it, I deserve to eat my food warm. Does that sound mean? I don't even care anymore.

Bed Time

Once I put BooBoo down for bed he calls for water at least 3 more times, then for an extra hug, then for the bathroom light to be turned on, then for me to get him "closey" (cozy). So now he gets a drink of water, extra hugs, the bathroom light and cozy all before I say my final goodnight. Anything above and beyond I am respectfully asking him to handle himself (obviously within reason) as an almost 4 year old. Enough of this back and forth up the stairs 3 dozen times a night; I'm just not in good enough physical shape to handle the cardio.

What else am I doing to choose me?

  • I'm choosing chick-flicks on Netflix from now on because they make me happy dammit.

  • I go on two walks a day at work because it makes me feel good.

  • I'm asking my kids to be more self-sufficient because they are able.

  • I'm learning not to give a %$#&.

But that's just me. Maybe it's because I'm turning 35 in like a week or maybe it's just time.

I hope you have ways you choose you. Share them, won't you?

Mommyfriend goes by Lori Garcia in real life and is a Shine Parenting Guru. She writes at www.mommyfriend.com where she's busy finding perfection in imperfection daily. When she's not watching infomercials she's a blogger for Babble's Toddler Times and a Featured Lifestyle Contributor for Yahoo! Contributor Network.