Mommy Me Time

Becoming a mom is one of the most life changing experiences, but it is also one of the best and most fulfilling roles a woman could ever have. With it comes a mix of love and joy, as well as pain and exhaustion. There are so many emotions and changes that come with being a mom, especially if you are going through it for the first time. So many changes with your body, so many feelings that you can’t understand or control, and the feeling of being tired every single night. And yet it also comes with the joy of first smiles, accomplishments, being a super woman in the eyes of your child, and many other exciting new things.

One thing is for sure… That in between going through the motions, I need my “Mommy Me-Time”. This, I believe, is something that is very important to help keep me going and energized. Sure, I don’t take her to work with me, but that is work. I’m talking about quality time with myself or with just my husband, or with my friends to just unwind and relax and not think about having to put a child to sleep or deal with tantrums and demands… For my sanity.

Here are some things I like to do during my Me-Time:

1. Date Night (or day) with Hubby

This is something that is very important to me. I believe that the secret to a happy marriage is being able to spend quality time with your husband without having to worry about taking care of the kids. So once in a while, my husband and I leave our little girl at her lolas’ place (they are thrilled to have her all the time) and we go out for a movie and dinner. It’s refreshing to be able to watch a film without being interrupted by a toddler who wants to play or be carried. And it is nice to be able to have a meal with my husband without having to worry if our little girl likes the food or not. It’s a few hours of our day wherein we can just relax and be ourselves, just by ourselves.

2. Meet Up With (Girl) Friends

Being with friends, especially the ones you grew up with, is a great comfort. It helps me to remember that I am an individual who can do other things aside from taking care of the baby.

A friend of mine was back in Manila just for the holidays so we took the opportunity to meet up and catch up on each others’ lives. It was refreshing to be able to wear something nice, put on some makeup, and be myself without having to worry about folding out the stroller or pick a child friendly place to eat. Better yet, because my husband was home with our little girl, I didn’t have to worry about getting home early.

3. Go to a Spa

The truth is that I am not a very big fan of massages. But I do like a good reflexology. It is relaxing and healing, and it actually released some of the pain from my back that I had been feeling for some time.

My siblings and I decided to spend an afternoon at a spa. We had a room to ourselves and we all had foot reflexology done. It was nice to be with them without any of the kids and we just had a great time together.

4. Retail Therapy

Who doesn’t love shopping? I honestly think that it is a very fun activity… if you have money to spend. I’m the kind of person who thinks twice before I buy something for myself, but when it comes to my little girl, “Take my money!” But shopping with a child in tow is not exactly fun. I have to make sure that she doesn’t pull anything from the shelves or break anything, or worse, get lost. So shopping by myself (or with your sisters, or with your friends) is very refreshing for me. No need to take the elevator to go from floor to floor because of the stroller. I can just hop from store to store, take the escalator to any floor, and shop in peace. Plus, I don’t have to worry about having to take her to the fitting room and having her tell me that I’m fat.

5. Going for a Walk

Here’s an activity I don’t need to spend for. Not only does it help me to release stress and get my blood to circulate, it’s a great form of exercise and is good for my body. 30 minutes around the village is enough to rejuvenate me. At the same time, I get to listen to my own thoughts and my own music. It’s my 30-minute break from Baby Shark.

March is Women's Month so I thought I would take the time to share this with all you moms out there. Taking care of yourself is just as important as caring for your child. So go out, have fun, be yourself, and embrace your identity.