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Mommy Confessions

Stepping Outside the "Mom" Box

By Rebecca Benson September 23, 2012

I am the first to admit I get comfortable with life and forget to take care of myself while taking care of the kids, hubby, and household. It is really hard for me to step outside of that box and do things for myself and when I do I feel it usually ends in total disaster or all I think about is getting back to the kids. Though I am trying to be better about stepping outside of that “box” and doing more for myself.

A few weeks back I scheduled a massage. I had this gift card forever and finally scheduled my appointment. I told my husband all day about it and well he lost track of time and made me miss the appointment because I had the kids. Oh I was so upset with him. I was crying on the phone when I  called to tell them I wasn't going to make it.

He knew the instant he walked in the house he had messed up and well he fixed it by finding a place to get me a pedicure (the fancy one) and a facial. I wasn't really mad about missing the appointment, I was mad because I so rarely do it and was forgotten. I feel that is sometimes the number one thing that upsets me as Mom, I am the one forgotten so that is why it so important to step out of that box and remind them that you are someone else than Mom.

I now have decided monthly I am going to go get a pedicure by myself. I need to do these things in order to decompress because as we all know being a Mom is tough. I have so many Moms tell me that it is such a balancing act with everything. I know I am not the only one who is frustrated with all of this.

I set some goals for myself at the beginning of the year and I have pushed one off all year. I had a opportunity sort of fall in my lap that achieves this goal. At first I pushed it to the side and thought why bother than the more I thought about it, I decided why not and am now going for it. It might not turn out the way I expect but I am going in with a positive attitude and figure maybe or maybe not it will turn out for me. I am stepping outside of my “box” to do something different and for me.

So as a Mom work at stepping outside the box for yourself. Call a friend to go for a movie or drinks. Go do more things for yourself and work at removing that guilty feeling but also understand that their times when you will still need to be mom when you are trying to step out of that zone but don't get frustrated at it. Go out and do something fun for yourself!

Rebecca Benson is a League City stay at home mom who has lived here since 2003 when her husband took a job on the International Space Station program. She followed soon after working on the same program for nearly six years when she started staying home with the kids. Rebecca loves to craft, scrapbook, sew, and embrace motherhood.  Rebecca has a blog called Mommiedom ((http://queenmommiedom.blogspot.com/) where she talks about all the things in her life not just those “confessions”.