Mothers, especially single mothers and the mothers of young children, are entitled to something some of them have dubbed "me time". It is important for them to take breaks to focus on themselves. It does not matter if it is napping, watching uninspiring television or indulging in a vice or two as long as it does not prevent them from returning to their role of primary caretaker. There are many stay-at-home mothers and single mothers burying meltdowns in their emotions and swallowing a bounty of frustrations, and it is not healthy for them or anyone around them, especially young children. Many of those meltdowns could have probably been avoided if they had intentionally taken better care of themselves and set their life in better order.
As women, taking better care and treating themselves to unwind, reverse stress and learn to cope with a new family or child is not a right that is supposed to be handed to them by their significant others or family. These women bear the responsibility of ensuring their "me time" is made at an appropriate time. Here are some tips for mentally and physically overworked mothers to take care of themselves better and make the most of their "me time".
Have a set Schedule for Waking and Going to Bed
This advice has been given in just about every self-help book there is, and even if everything that follows is hot air, this is true. Like exercise, setting your body's wake and sleep schedule is healthy. There are a ton of sources to back up why waking up at the same time to reset your circadian clock is healthy, and it does a variety of good things for the body, including helping it get restful sleep. Also, going to bed at the same time nightly has a host of health benefits, including heart attack prevention.
Get Out and Take a Couple of Hours of Alone Time
A constantly full schedule should not matter either, and getting out to do chores does not count. This time be should scheduled, so the rest of the family knows because there is a difference between taking time for self-reflection and taking off and worrying the kids and the significant other if there is one. Remember, this is taking scheduled hours out of one day a week. This does not mean days, deep into the night, drinking hard or doing illicit drugs to unwind. These exercises are about being healthy in all aspects. If it starts to feel wrong or unhealthy, turning back and telling whoever the other caretaker is, plus letting a professional know the details of the negativity is a good idea.
Say Yes to Friends, Coworkers and the Boss Less
This is about making the core family more special. There are ways to set boundaries with friends and bosses without being abrasive or giving them a stone cold decline. After two or three times of asking to have what little time a mother has with her children and husband and getting declined, a smart boss and set of friends will get the hint. A group of real friends will understand completely, and a boss with a solid emotional quotient will also get the hint and have no problem with it.
Put the Baby in the Baby's Own Bed at the Same Time Every Night
Begin raising the baby right immediately. This also gives the mother time to rest properly, the father rests better, the marriage does not suffer and there is less risk of SIDs according to this site. If a situation like SIDs or some other event were to happen, make sure that you contact a lawyer so that you could understand the legal ramifications and how to go about handling it.
These four things are not resolutions or goals. They are simply steps to help build a better family life for mother, partner and baby.