13 Simple Secrets for Mommy

It seems like as a mom there are always more things to do than there is time to do them. And it's very easy for "me-time" to dissipate, especially when your kids are small. Here are a list of little things that you can do that make yourself feel better, even when "me-time" is scarce. (Confession: This is list is a reminder for myself as much as anything.)

• Exercise- Normally I am of the camp who doesn't pay for gym memberships, they are over-priced and I can exercise on my own for free. The problem is I usually don't. However I had a coupon for free membership at a local gym for a month and I may be hooked. The kids love to play with "new" toys and other kids for an hour and I get to exercise and sometimes read a book at the same time. I have more energy, I feel better, and it's good for me. Even if you don't want to pay for a membership try to squeeze some exercise somewhere. Running around with your kids at the park is a way that is fun and free.
• Use lotion- It's a simple thing, takes 30 seconds, but when I don't, I notice. If you wash your hands a lot (like myself) and don't lotion you can get cracks in your skin that can lead to infection, not to mention they are uncomfortable even if they don't get that bad. Plus it smells good.
• Eat healthy foods- I know when you're tired it's easier to open a box of instant whatever, however it's so much healthier to prepare things from scratch. And if you plan ahead of time it doesn't have to be very time consuming.
• Pray- "And all things, ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive" Matt 21:22 I think this is especially true if we pray for strength to fulfill our responsibilities.
• Drink water- My husband makes fun of me because it doesn't matter what his complaint is I ask him if he has been drinking enough water. Being dehydrated can make you tired, cause headaches and make any other problem you have worse. (Unless you're on dialysis.) Your body needs water to facilitate all processes in your body. However, when you're busy it's easy to forget your 8 glasses a day.
• Take time for your friends- Your friends can help brainstorm solutions, give encouragement, new ideas and they need you as much as you need them!
• Swap kids- I have a neighbor with kids of the same age and corresponding gender as my own. Every so often either her kids come over here or mine go over there. It is a great win-win situation. The kids have a great time and each of us get an hour and a half of quiet "me-time".
• Listen to music- Listening to music can give you energy and it makes mundane chores so much more bearable.
• Prioritize- Decide what is really important to get done and take things one at a time.
• Be grateful- I know that I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. You don't have to look far to remember that things could be worse.
• Don't compare yourself to others.- Focus on what you are accomplishing, not on what you haven't. Yes, the ironing never gets done, but my kids are happy, healthy and read to. And really that's far more important to me.
• Take a cold shower.- Or at least turn the water to cold for the last 10 seconds of your shower. It's great for your skin and can give you a quick boost of energy without caffeine.
• Get enough sleep- I know this is easier said than done, but as one who has put in her time on the night shift, I can say from experience that you will be a better mom and get more done if you are not sleep deprived.

How to Survive Road Trips with Small Children

As our closest family is four hours away, I have mastered the art of a successful road trip, and have had many an unsuccessful road trip also. Success just requires a little preparation.  Make sure that you have the following readily available:

• baby wipes- best thing for cleaning up sticky fingers and faces (and diapers if applicable)
• a change of clothes per child (In an emergency situation we had to have our child pee in the bushes by the side of the road, she's small, it's awkward, and we had to dig a change of clothes out of the trunk)
• 2 toys per child- When they get bored with the first, they can change without stealing from their neighbor
• a few favorite books, coloring books, a few crayons each
• cds with music that your children enjoy to sing along with and cds with music that is soothing and can help transition to nap time
• a pillow and blanket for each child- Sometimes they sleep with them, sometimes they hide under them, on one trip I think my son played peek-a-boo with his for two hours straight
• SNACKS- This is a must. Here are some of our favorites: baby carrots, fruit snacks, granola bars, cookies, apple slices, beef jerky, fruit leather, craisins, crackers, and string cheese.
• frozen Caprisuns- crucial in the summer time. We always throw a few of these in a small cooler with some other drinks. Towards the beginning of the trip you drink whatever you threw in there to be chilled. Towards the end you can drink your thawed, but still icy Caprisuns. They can actually keep food cold for 2-3 days if you have enough frozen Caprisuns and keep the cooler shut.
• a few water bottles
• a plastic grocery bag for tossing garbage
• something for you to read when the kids fall asleep
• map/atlas or GPS

As much as I dislike the place, McDonald's has made many a road trip easier. The kids get out of the car, eat two bites of a happy meal, run around until they're totally worn out, get back in the car and quickly fall asleep. And there's always a McDonald's somewhere, they're easy to spot and it's a doable option, rain, shine, snow, whatever. We've just gotten to the point where we stop somewhere else for Mommy to get a sandwich or salad first, and I eat that while they let their nuggets get cold. (Happy Meals aren't the most nutritious things, but they have gotten better than when we were kids. I'm ok with my kids having them on occasion. They always get the chicken nuggets, apple slices and chocolate milk.) If you know the area, or it's a good day for your GPS and the weather's nice, you can get the same results with taking lunch in a park, but you can't bank on those factors.
 I had a co-worker once tell me that she just gave her kids Benedryl and then they slept for most of their long roads trips. I tried that. Didn't work for us at all. I gave my daughter a second dose and I she was more wired than before. I've found classical music to be more effective in getting my kids to sleep in the car than anything else. I also found that road trips became sooo much easier after we had two kids. My daughter just didn't like to be alone in the back seat for long periods of time.