Parents often feel guilty when they need some time to themselves, but getting that time away from the hectic home environment is essential to staying energized and rejuvenated. Gather your other mom friends and plan a partial or full day devoted to girl time. Have fun catching up without the kids around, pampering yourselves a little, or enjoying time out in nature. You’ve been working hard, and you deserve this.
Take a Hike
Running around after children is exercise, but it’s not the same as what you enjoyed before you were a parent. Go to a state park with good walking, hiking, or biking trails. Spend some time in nature with your friends. Take the trail as slow or as fast as you want. The point isn’t to get in a good workout, but to give both your body and mind some time to connect with nature.
Catch a Flick
Parents almost never have time to see new movies that are out in theatres. If your tastes diverge from your spouse’s, both of you miss out on films you want to see during the rare date evenings when you do get to watch a movie. Get together with your friends and see something in the theaters. Choose an adult movie so children won’t be in there with you, and pick a weekday matinée to increase your chances of having the theater to yourselves.
Grab Coffee
Image via Flickr by taylor.bailey
Coffee that you don’t make yourself always tastes better, doesn’t it? Find a local coffee shop with comfortable chairs and bring a relaxing board game like Scrabble. Get a cup of coffee you don’t have to gulp down, and maybe even a pastry or two to share. Enjoy each other’s’ company for a while. Get out that board game and have some fun, or just enjoy talking and catching up.
Enjoy a New Restaurant
Does your town have a new food truck or restaurant you’ve been itching to try? Your friends are probably as sick of missing out on the new stuff in town as you are, so it’s time to change things up.. For this meal, don’t worry about calories or nutrition information. Focus on enjoying the food that nobody in your house defrosted. Split a dessert with your friends if you want to. Or, take a walk to a local yogurt shop or patisserie to enjoy a sweet treat after your meal.
Have a Spa Day
Remember how much fun it was to have a sleepover when you were a teenager? Giving each other manicures, making face masks out of household goods, and experimenting with makeup were such fun with friends around. Recreate that fun by doing an at-home spa day. Get a bottle of wine and check out the best Amway products for an at-home spa day. As fun as it was to craft beauty products out of olive oil or egg whites when you were a kid, today you want to use products that will leave your skin feeling rejuvenated and looking great.
Do a Yoga Class
You probably don’t have time to stretch or get a massage these days, so you and your friends should seek out a yoga class. Pick one geared towards relaxation, or an all-levels yoga class. Something too intense won’t offer the relaxation component you probably need. Work out the tension you probably didn’t realize your muscles are carrying. When you’re done, go out for a beer together so you have a chance to catch up.
Letting your kids see you practicing self-care is good; it teaches them that taking time for yourself is necessary and enjoyable, an idea that will serve them well later in life when they have careers and their own families. Plus, if you discover anything you think they’ll love while you’re out with your friends, plan a day out with the little ones to enjoy it.
