Staying sane on top of this motherhood job is near impossible. It does not come easy for single moms, stay-at-home moms, work-from-home moms and working moms.
We all have our individual challenges and issues but it is up to us to do something about them. I’ve been a stay-at-home Mama for about three years and it was definitely not a walk in the park to keep my sanity intact. It is still not easy these days now that I am a working mother.
I guess all mothers are a bit crazy to be able to manage everything that is happening in our homes. I am not attempting to sound like an expert here but here are five suggestions on how to remain sane in the midst of motherhood challenges:
Prepare your meals ahead of time or… feed them microwavable meals. That is okay if you do it occasionally. For Filipino mothers, do not feel like a failure if you fed your kids instant noodles because you were pressed with time (e.g. you had to hurry and leave for work). You are fine. You are not going to do that every single time, right? Repeated consumption of MSG-laden products is nasty for the health. But… if you did it once or twice, you are okay. Serving well thought of meals can be so much of a pressure these days what with all those cooking videos online.
My husband, who takes care of the kids’ meals when I am not around, does this very well that I feel like an incompetent mother. He makes an entire pot of spaghetti sauce and then divide them according to desired portions. He calls this “zombie food.” So when he is pressed with time or has to do something urgent, he just heat up the sauce and boil some pasta and voila… instant homecooked meals.
Even if it only involves a 10-minute trip to the Dollar store. In Montana, I was taking care of two-year-old twins and a newborn and the only way I could get time off was to pack everyone inside our 1999 Dodge Caravan and have my husband drive me to Dollar Store. He drops me off and I had 10 to 15 minutes of bliss without children and milk burps. My conversations with the cashiers were the longest I’ve had with other adults. It was blissful!
The twins are now four years old (turning five in three months) and the former newborn is now 2.5 years old so they are so much easier to manage. We have also relocated to the Philippines and have Ate Joy to help me out so I can afford to do periodic out-of-the-country trips, date nights with Jeff and dinners with friends.
Children are generally obssesed with their mothers. They follow their Mommies everywhere even the bathroom when you are supposed to be spending time alone. I know this is hard when you have young children especially those who are still starting to crawl but try Mommy. Try. For your own sake. When you are sure that the time bombs are hidden and the nuclear codes are stashed somewhere safe, lock the door in the bathroom.
You won’t be able to do this every single time because your shadows will come knocking on that door so when you have the chance, lock the door. And then… sing in the shower. Shampoo your chair and massage your scalp for five minutes or even more! Shave, exfoliate… Ha! I’m kidding. A two-minute shower will do but lock the door still. It is your time for you and with you.
Leave the husband with the children. I mean you are sure he won’t burn the house right? Or call the police when Kid No. 2 declares he needs to poop? If yes, then leave him with the kids. They are going to be fine. He is half of the reason why they exist so do not worry about it. He can manage.
Don’t care if it’s Netflix or Youtube or the DVDs you’ve bought from your friendly pirated stalls. Turn off your brain and just watch those chick flicks or those — can’t believe I am writing this — zombie series. You’ll move around like one of them (zombies, I mean) by your third movie. But it’s the same feeling when you are up the whole night breastfeeding and changing diapers. You won’t know the difference.
I would love to read about how keep yourselves sane. Comment below, send me a message or post your sharings on the Reading Ruffolos’ social media accounts.
