Need-a-quiet-parenting-weekend?
You deserve a break T.O.D.A.Y. That slogan is one thing McDonald’s got right. All parents deserve some R.E.S.T.
Proactive Parenting has been shutdown for most of the summer, so that’s why there were no posts.
Why did I vanish?
I realized I hadn’t had a vacation, or work stoppage for a very, very long time. So, I shut things down to rejuvenate.
I can hear some of you now,
“Gee, I wish I could shutdown mothering for a weekend!”
That’s today’s topic— Rest & Rejuvenate, in order to be more alive, present, and mindful.
As my first email of the new school year, I’d like to offer you a challenge. A challenge for you to rest. Take a staycation. And do it while the kids are right beside you.
WHAT!!! Yes, it’s possible!
Here’s how to do it.
When my kids were little I’d announce, “Guess what, this weekend is a Mommy-Mush weekend!” (We called it Mommy-Mush, but call it whatever you like, maybe Parent-Mush, Mush weekend.)
Cheers, applause, and jumping for joy echoed through the halls. Okay, maybe that’s over stating it a bit, but you catch my drift.
What’s a Mommy-Parent Mush Weekend?
It’s a weekend when no one does much of anything. Nothing!
– No need to hurry up and get dressed because we’re going to be late—we stayed in our pj’s all weekend.
– No play dates to drive to. And no pressure to hang around and socialize with the other mom before bolting
for some alone time.
– NO COOKING! I’d lay in supplies and we’d raid the freezer for quick meals. We ate comfort foods, and a bit of junk, since we rarely ever did that.
– No laundry. No yard work. No cleaning. No making beds.
– No work of any kind.
We’d watch movies, movies, movies. We’d eat popcorn and sometimes share a large box of candy, so it felt like we were at the movies. And we’d play games and take baths. We’d rest!
And, if I could away with it, the kids would cuddle with me and watch their movie, while I had headphones on and watched my movie on the iPad! After all, it was a rest weekend for me too, and the kids knew it.
Why do this?
Because exhaustion can destroy your life. It can affect your health, your personal and work relationships, and it can diminish your ability to be creative at work.
But guess what—having no down time affects kids too.
When you’re on the go all day, every day, your kids get worn out too. Listening, adhering to rules, going to school, playing with friends, is all about learning. If kids don’t get downtime, they begin having a hard time listening to rules. They don’t have the resources to cooperate, and can easily fall into power struggles, tantrums, and arguing.
Your soul craves downtime and playtime. Unfortunately, the pace of life has us believing that shutting down technology means we’re not in touch. And if you don’t take the kids somewhere fun over the weekend, well, you’re not a good parent. Hogwash!
Not taking care of yourself is the worst form of parental abuse there is!
You need time to recharge your batteries; you deserve a 48 hour break!
Trust me, a weekend where you reintroduce yourself to you, so you can be present and leisurely plug back into your real life, will do you a world of good!
So, that’s my challenge for you.
Create a Mommy-Parent-Mush weekend for Labor Day.
After all, you labored to bring these kids into this world, and you and hubby labor every single day to raise them. Honor yourselves this weekend by making it a Mommy-Parent-Mush weekend.
Let me leave you with a quote I LOVE from Marie Forleo,
“If you are constantly listening to the noise of the world, it’s hard to hear the whispers of your soul.”
More to come soon, a lot more. So, stay tuned.
Now, go hug your kids!
Sharon