Me time does not always look like I picture it in my head. Quiet hours with a book and a warm cup of coffee just do not happen in my season of life with young children. Many moms tell me it’s hard to find time alone to get some ‘me time’.  It is hard to plan when we will get time kid-free.  I had to utilize creative ways to fit in my ‘me time’ when I was learning how to find balance in motherhood when I had my first baby, and I still use the same methods now that I have four children.

My son from about 2 weeks old was taken on walks in the stroller.  I had a c-section, so walks were great for regaining my strength and recovering my pre-baby weight.Your child may need to learn that stroller time means quiet, independent time.  This can take a little longer for some kids-there were many walks that I had to end early because my son’s crying became too intense and he needed to get out of the stroller. Bring them a book or toy so they can stay occupied if staring at the world around them is not appealing at first. When he was old enough to ride in a jogging stroller, he faced forward and got to view the trees, airplanes flying overhead, and birds or bugs flying around the trail.  He learned to love the walks as much as I did.  I would point out sounds, animals, etc. so he was learning as well.Many times I walked during my son’s naptime, so he would sleep and I would feel like I was on my own. It was my time but since he was riding along he learned that exercise and time outdoors was important while I got to workout and clear my head.

2) ShoweringWhen I take a shower, it is planned around having enough time to be sure I do not have to rush (most days) through the process.

Ok, just a note: This was written before the twins were born. There were weeks where I only got a few showers in just because the twins may not have taken naps or did not go right to bed at night. It is not always easy to get your basic needs met as a mom, but now that the twins are 2 things are moving pretty smoothly in the basic needs department. The time we moms have to give up a lot of our personal times ends sooner than we think it will when we are sleep-deprived and not-so-showered!

I know it may not be fun to view showering as a ‘me time’ activity when we want basic activities to just be easy, but we busy moms do what we have to do! Multi-tasking is a key aspect of our job.

I view showering as almost a mini spa time. Look at your shower as time for you to relax-grab some salt scrubs, essential oils-infused night cream, etc and take the 10-15 minutes to just be in your own world.

3) Driving naps Some days, particularly when my husband is traveling for work or we are especially grumpy and whiny, I leave the house around a nap window, and my kids fall asleep in the car.  I get to listen to music, pull into a parking lot and read, or just drive to scope out the area (we do move every 3 years, so there is always a new area to explore).

I learned this from a SAHM friend.  She would put her kids in the car, drive through a coffee shop, and indulge in a little quiet time for herself even though her 2 kids were in the car. I try to keep the fuel burning to a minimum by parking and reading, or getting to an errand site early and enjoying the quiet time while my children nap-it counts as time for me even if it is only a few minutes.

4) NaptimeWhen I only had one child, this was my time!  Now with four, nap time has become rest time with quiet activity and no real break for me. I still try to use this time as I want most days-sometimes it is folding laundry just to get it done, or writing this blog to escape for a few moments, or even checking in on Facebook during a moment when the babies are playing on their own.

If your children nap or are old enough to be independent for an hour or so, read a book during this time, or just relax in front of the tv.  I would do different things on many days:
clean one day, read another, do my nails the next, talk to a friend on the phone, etc.

5) PlaydatesSpending time with other moms helps keep us aware that we are not alone.  We can help each other. This counts as ‘me time’ in my book.

Make the effort to get out of the house and join with other moms when you can. It is not so easy for me to do this with nursing twins plus two other kids, but as my children grow I can get back to regular meetups.

Meetup.com is a great way to find a playgroup or moms group in your area. Otherwise, #6 can help, next!

6) Bible Study or Moms Groups:

MOPS or Bible Study groups at your local church can feel like a great refresher! Often they provide childcare as an option-or you can pay a one-time fee to use it. You get on-site childcare and time to refresh and meet other moms.