Random Thoughts

Happy Friday, everyone! To all the Moms out there, are you thinking of taking a quick break this weekend?

Here are a few suggestions by Mariel Uyquiengco of MomCentre.com...

5 Quick Ways to Take Breaks from Motherhood By Mariel Uyquiengco

All moms consider their children as their pride and joy. We revel in being with our offspring, caring for them, teaching them, and shaping their lives.But even the most devoted moms need to take breaks from parenting duties once in a while to recharge, keep their sanity, or just be. We need to manage our parenting stress, before the pressure of juggling motherhood, work, and home take its toll.

A happy mom means a happy home, and a happy home means happy kids. Here are five quick ways to take little breaks from motherhood:

Exercise the stress away

Exercise releases feel-good endorphins that help relieve stress. The single-minded focus that we put into it helps us become calm. Being a health and wellness enthusiast, running is mom Cheryl Goodman’s number one choice for taking mommy breaks. She comes back from her runs “calm and grounded to parent again.” For those who exercise indoor, like blogging coach Martine de Luna, “30 minutes on the treadmill while watching Lifestyle network” is definitely a break for her.

Lose yourself in TV shows

Marge Aberasturi, founder of VA Support Pro, keeps her daily one-hour TV break sacred. Her homeschooledkids “don’t dare to speak to me except commercial breaks.” Her husband even prepares a drink and gives her chips, rounding out the queen-of-the-hour treatment. She maintains a long list of shows to watch, ready for her daily hour-long break.

Get a breather with a cup of coffee

Crafty stay-at-home mom Sheh Agustin waits for 3 o’clock to sit in her kitchen table. She treats herself to a much-needed cup of coffee and listens to her favorite jazz/retro radio station for a café vibe at home. The same goes for freelance writer Mitzi Dico who rewards herself with a cup after her six-month old falls asleep and half of her work for the day is done.

Pamper yourself pink

Most moms look forward to a day of pampering at a salon. Manicure, pedicure, foot spa, facial, and massage are some of the magic words that make parenting stress go away like magic. Martine treats herself to a facial every two weeks to maintain her skin and mom Tisha Rosales will welcome a foot spa-mani-pedi combo anytime. There’s nothing like a good pampering to cheer up a tired mother hen!

Run errands

Though grocery shopping and paying bills at the bank seem like work, home-based baker Iris Pulga enjoys running errands. It’s time away from her kids and considers it her breather. During errand days, mini-dates with one’s husband can also be squeezed in, making it a special break from the stressful part of parenting.

Sometimes, taking a nice, undisturbed shower is enough of a break, like it is for mom Joy Lojo. Taking the time to just be alone with one’s thoughts can do wonders in lifting up a mom’s mood. It is important for one’s mental health. For all the joys of motherhood, all moms just need to get some break time. This need should be encouraged and respected by the whole family.

Mom, take care of yourself and protect your alone time! Wellness-advocate Cheryl has good advice about how to achieve this: trade childcare duties with mommy friends or ask your husband, grandparents, and other trusted relatives to get this all-important downtime. Remember, children need happy moms and a happy home!