Being a mom has made me so tired. And so happy.
Tina Fey
A couple weeks ago, I hit the motherhood wall. Meaning that I had completely tapped out. Although I was going to bed at night, I was still running on E. This feeling began to impact the way I took care of my family, as my fuse became shorter and shorter. After speaking with my husband, we decided that I had to get some time away. I was in need of some me time in the form of a momcation.
For my break, I spent one night in a hotel away from my family. It was the most glorious 18.5 hours. I came back home feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges would come my way. Because the experience was so positive for me, I have been encouraging other moms to get away when they can.
While so much was happening in terms of the pandemic over the last year, moms have been forced to work harder than ever. Some of us have experienced career and health changes, while others have had to make hard choices about how to educate their kids. None of us have had it easy. So to put it frankly: moms need a break.
With that being said, lets talk about how to plan out a successful momcation in 5 easy steps.
Pick a date and location
Before you hop in your car and ride off into the sunset, you’ll need to pick a date and location to get away. It is good to consider adult work schedules, prior obligations, and extracurricular activities that your children might be involved in. To make it easiest on you, you’ll want to pick a day that your family can survive without you. Friday was the best day for our family because it is a light work day for my husband. He would have the energy to watch our son and he didn’t have any prior obligations. Step one, done.
Secure childcare
This step may sound obvious, but you’ll want to make this a priority. Our family consists of only one child and my husband was free to stay home with him. But if you are a single mom or even a partnered mom with multiples, you may have to call in reinforcements for childcare. Before bringing people in to watch your kids or dropping them off, just sure that you are choosing someone that your children are completely comfortable with. Otherwise your night of kid-free fun could be cut short. Once you secure childcare, pass go and collect $200. Your night of fun is coming soon.
Plan out your activities
Before I step foot in my room, I had to take some time to plan out my activities. I asked my followers on IG what they would do with a night off, and they had some wonderful suggestions. Ultimately, I decided that I would read, take a nap, eat snacks, watch movies and most importantly, stay off my phone. In case you’re new here, this is my idea of a wild Friday night.
Since I only had a day to prepare, I decided to use my activity list as a checklist. The last thing I wanted to do was leave something I needed at home. So I gathered my books, found a few movies I would like to see and packed all of my essentials.
Shop for what you’ll need
After planning out what I wanted to do, I needed to do a little shopping for my trip. I opened the Target app so that I could place a DriveUp order. While I was shopping for snacks, I discovered a sale and bought a few pairs of sandals. Don’t tell my husband.
Once I completed my shoe shopping, I ordered sparkling water, a cute wine glass, carrots and dip, gluten-free cookies, disinfectant wipes, strawberries, popcorn chips, and a few other goodies. And they had every single item in my order at the store. I love when that happens.
Enjoy yourself
Once you place the order with what you need, drive to the location you’ll be staying at and enjoy yourself. The time goes by quickly so I highly suggest staying offline and being fully present. This is your opportunity to celebrate yourself, so do the things that spark joy.
Being a mom is a job that requires so much patience and love. So I am encouraging you to give yourself the same level of love that you give to your family.
Your needs matter.
Your deserve a break.
And you are worthy of rest.
Keep blooming,
[…] Finally, making time to truly love on yourself is a major part of feeling your best. A few weeks ago, the thought of changing another diaper or cooking another meal stressed me out. My sleep schedule fluctuated and I hadn’t read a good book in weeks. After expressing my feelings to my husband, he booked a hotel room for me so I could enjoy myself without any distractions. A few days later, I was sitting in my robe reading a book, eating snacks and crying through movies by myself. It was just what the doctor ordered. I returned from my staycation feeling lighter and happier. And I loved it so much that I plan to do it a few times a year from now on. […]