Self care. It’s this term that has become dutiful and hush-hush and exclusive all at the same time. We’re told to practice it regularly, that we deserve it, and that it should be this major production. But I call bullshit. Look, self care for moms in 2018 doesn’t have to be a big fucking deal. It can be practical and routine and boring and cheap and fantastic. It’s just gotta get done. Here’s how. Continue reading
Category: Just for Mom (Page 2 of 4)
This category is like it says: just for mom. Here I include articles that have to do with self care, mom guilt, and other issues which don’t directly affect your baby nor child. As we continue to grow here at Real Simple Mama, I thought it was important that I have a section to show moms that we are strong, and we aren’t alone.
Happy (almost) new year! Maybe you consider yourself to be a “resolutions”-driven person; maybe not. I like to think of the new year as a jumping-off point for some new things I want to improve upon. 2017 certainly was a year of growth for me, both professionally and personally! I’m now a runner (sort of), I’ve gotten more love and less B.S. going in my life, and I’m finally becoming best friends with myself. I don’t want to waste any more time pretending, or only being me part of the time.
So I’m resharing a post I did a year ago about how to write resolutions. We’re moms who are realistic: we have limited resources, time, money, and sanity. So a lot of goals and resolutions may seem impossible, ridiculous, or like “Yeah let’s not even pretend that’s gonna happen.”
Here, I’ll help you think about what you want to do in 2018, whether it’s get more involved in local politics or get to know yourself better.
And of course, share this out so that us moms can help support each other with our new endeavors! It’s never too late to be a better you, whatever that means in your heart.
Find my Resolutions for a Realistic Mom post here!
My circle of friends has changed a lot since having kids. Some people have withstood the test of time, and the challenges that come from a friend having a baby. Other people have drifted away. I was thinking about my “past life” recently and had a realization: those people who I keep in touch with, what did they have in common? What did they mean to me and to my kids? Read on for my epiphany, the most important thing you can do for my kids (and for me). Continue reading
I know that I’m saving my family a lot of money by raising our kids at home instead of paying for daycare. But things are tight when you’re a family of four on one teacher income. So I’ve been looking for months at the best ways to really make some money at home, while taking care of two young children. Today I’m here to tell you all about my two winners, Rev and User Testing: two real simple ways to make money freelancing. Continue reading
I know it sounds cheesy, but I made a New Year’s Resolution for 2017 to take better care of myself. And a big part of that was to lose the baby weight which I’ve gradually gained from birthing and breastfeeding two kids in four years. But mentally and physically, I was ready to make a change. Here’s a busy breastfeeding mom’s review of Weight Watchers. Continue reading
Being a stay-at-home mom is absolutely wonderful. I get to raise my own children in the comfort of our own home, and I often do so without wearing real pants. But the truth is, there is a lot about being a SAH parent which society quietly ignores. When I consciously became aware of the tragic irony of the stay-at-home mom, I knew that I would have to write about it. Continue reading
I am a mom. And I have anxiety. I don’t have a severe enough case that I need to take medications or see a specialist, but by the end of a long day I sometimes feel like I’m wound up and unraveling at the same time. Since my first pregnancy, I sporadically turned to meditation to quiet my mind and relax my body. But a few months ago I began a nightly ritual of stillness and meditation. And it has been miraculous. Here’s exactly how meditation calms this anxious mom.
Guys, I finally did it! I read an entire grown-up book, all by myself! This is the first novel I’ve completed since my four year old was a newborn and I binge-read the Game of Thrones series on my iPad while midnight nursing. And since Bunmi Laditan’s book, Confessions of a Domestic Failure, just happens to be about a stay-at-home mom who tries to be everything and succeeds at nothing, I knew I had to write an honest review for you all. Continue reading
I must confess, I want more kids. I’ve always wanted more than two (which is what I have now). But we are at a crossroads, our little family: is another child right for us? Right now my husband and I don’t agree; he’s set on the two we have and being done with it. I, however, have other dreams. I often think of the possibility… if I ever have another baby… what would I want my experience to be like?
One thing this dialogue has made me realize is that if I ever get the chance to have another child, I am not taking a single thing for granted. I know the experience I want to have, both for my baby and for myself. If I ever have another baby, these are my plans and my promises to my future child. Continue reading
From one friggin tired, friggin happy mother to another, I wish you a Happy Mother’s Day! May your special day be filled with ample time to poop alone, a hot shower where you can shave your armpits and your legs, clean kitchens and kids who love everything you do and say!
And as you sip your fresh, hot cup of coffee (or wine, whatever), be sure to check out my posts in the Just for Mom category. I’ve got funny and serious posts for all the mothers out there, to help you take care of yourself and remember that you’re never alone. Even when you’re going number two.
