Today I was supposed to return to work, rested and ready to go after 11 days off for the holiday.  Instead, I woke up drenched in a cold sweat in a house with no children (they’re all with their other parent).  I had a headache and was absolutely furious at myself for getting sick on my first day back to work after so much time off.  Then it occured to me, I didn’t actually have any time off.  I never have time off.  I spent the entire holiday making sure everyone else had a fantastic break and I was absolutely frazzled and panicked about trying to go back to work exhausted.

I fully realize that this is not what a good mom is supposed to say after Christmas, but isn’t that the point of this blog? I’m burned out!  Our holiday was amazing, truly amazing. We always put up three Christmas trees, one for Cute Boyfriend that is color coordinated to the standards set by Macy’s departments stores.  A second tree for me that wears a tophat and sports memory filled ornaments and giant multi-colored lights reminiscent of the 80’s.  The third tree is actually a branch painted gold and encrusted with glitter that the two oldest and I hung tiny ornaments on when we were living month to month on food stamps, we call it our “Dr. Merry Seuss Tree”.  This Christmas was fabulously wonderful in every way, so why am I so fried?

The answer is simple, the holiday’s are for our families, not for moms.  I painstakingly got each of the kids exactly what they wanted for Christmas.  They got me a $6 chicken thermometer and spent the rest of the money I gave them on gifts for their friends.  (I could continue with examples, but if you have children, I will simply allow for you to insert your own examples here, as I am sure you know what I am talking about.)  So, today I took a mental health day! I honestly can not recommend this enough! Cute Boyfriend had already left for work and instead of continuing with my insane routine, I simply took advantage of an empty house and got back into bed.  The day has been glorious so far! I have binged watched Gilmore Girls on Netflix in my pajamas and I feel amazing! For breakfast I had a bowl of Quinn’s peanut butter cup cereal (because (s)he wasn’t here to stop me) and popcorn for lunch.  Today I am doing nothing and it is spectacularly uneventful.

So my advice to all of you parents is this, when that weirdly rare opportunity presents itself where you can have time to yourself without the kids or your significant other, TAKE IT! Don’t feel bad about calling into work, or ordering pizza instead of making dinner, do whatever it is that needs to be slightly altered so that you can have a few hours completely to yourself to do whatever you want to do!!

We get so frazzled and worn down trying to perfect the art of doing and remembering everything for everyone else.  Take time for yourself!  It is the BEST thing you can do for your family.  But most importantly, under no circumstance, can you feel guilty for taking time for yourself, a relaxed you is the best you and your family needs the best you.

So now, I am going to use a Bath Bomb (if you don’t know what this is, find out and get yourself one!) and tomorrow I will actually be rested and ready to resume my role as Super Bad Mom.