Mary Ann is a stay at home mom to two very busy, very curious, very imaginative, and very strong-willed children. Of all the jobs she's had, this one is her favorite. When she's not chasing after her kids, she likes to find time to read, run, sew, and watch movies that her husband makes fun of her for. She blogs at A Cloth Life, but you can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
As a new mother, regardless of how many kids you have (or sometimes because of) the thought of getting out of the house can be entirely overwhelming. I left work a few weeks before G was born, and we left town (to be closer to my husband's work) a few weeks after. I was sleep deprived, overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for a newborn, and I had just left my nearest support system over an hour away. We moved into a daylight basement that was dirty and small with a galley kitchen that very literally only allowed for one-way traffic. It was like injecting my baby blues with steroids.
Being a new mother can be overwhelming in a lot of respects, regardless of how many children you have. You are physically and emotionally exhausted. It feels like everyone expects something from you, and no one seems to think you're capable of doing anything on your own. Conflicting messages, anyone? In one fell swoop, you have become Superwoman and completely inept at performing any "meaningful" task outside of providing the very basics for your child. You feel inadequate & like you're losing your mind, or maybe that's just me.
What you need to do is brush your hair, brush your teeth, be sure the kids have shoes (and clean diapers if they're still in diapers), grab your keys and go! Practice makes perfect, so don't worry if you're in sweats/pj's or haven't showered. If the kids' outfits are mismatched, the general public thinks it's cute anyway. You have a free pass to look disheveled until your youngest moves out of the house (although my husband would disagree, but who's up with the kids in the middle of the night? Not him.).
My point is, don't worry about appearances. Just get some fresh air and have fun. For my first "alone" outing with both kids, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to a not busy park. It felt amazing! Now I can even manage dragging both kids to my daughter's audiologist appointments over an hour away. I feel like Superwoman by the time we get home.
Even though it seems like a lot more work (it is), it's also the key to my sanity. Some of our favorite places to go are the river, the library, the dollar store, friend's houses, the duck park (to feed the ducks), and even the grocery store.
Where do you like to take the kids when you start feeling a little stir-crazy?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Are you interested in writing a guest post for Cheerful Homemaker? Send me an email!
When N is super fussy and I know it's going to be a while before C comes home, we go for walks. Something about being outside really calms him down!
ReplyDeleteIt's almost essential that we get out of the house. When we are out Noah doesn't fuss when I'm holding Bryce and sometimes doesn't even whine at all!! Just have to get the nursing one child while keep tabs on another and we are set!!
ReplyDelete