Momalicious - M'S GEMS

By: Melissa Goldberg

Mommaʼs - Letʼs get ready rumble!!!!! Okay, no rumbling, but letʼs take charge in the official new order of the "Momsters Union".

Itʼs time to come together and stand up for our independence. Whether you are a working mom inside the home or a working mom inside and outside the home, it seems that on lifeʼs never ending to do list, the relaxing and fun stuff for moms is always at the bottom and never gets checked off the to do list.

I will brag and let you know in only a few hours I will be hanging my mom hat at the door, stepping into my girlfriends truck and off to dinner and drinks with a group of lovely and equally busy moms. So, I am proud to say I do practice what I preach well, at least this week.

The truth is, it is so hard to find time to let go and enjoy ourselves, perhaps itʼs because we kinda sort of donʼt think any one can do it better or because if we slow down, when we return home we may return to complete disarray.

I wasnʼt sure which way to go this week. I could have pulled together some gems about ways to enjoy some time out time, particularly with Mommas Pearls having spent quality time uber Mompreneur and founder of Divalysscious Moms, Lyss Stern, who wrote the book on mommy time outs, but the more I thought about it, I think, we in the “supermom club” are not wondering what weʼd like to do if we got a couple of free hours to do what ever we wanted. So, perhaps a couple of reminders of why it is essential to our health and happiness to block out time and set up a play date for Momma.

Makes you Feel Sexier - Itʼs funny, when it comes to my day job there is a specific dress code, but on my day off, oh boy, my mom dress code is a bit on the ghastly side and goes way beyond Casual Fridays. Often consisting of a pair of yoga pants, tank top and my hair pulled into a pony. Iʼm always paranoid those folks from the makeover shows are lurking. When I make plans to go out sans children, I dig a little deeper in the closet and try to find something a bit more appealing and like Lyss’s Grandma says, I do opt for a "little Lips and Blush" makeup.

Youʼre Not Alone - One thing I realize when I go out with the Mommas, is that Iʼm not alone. The little things that drive me crazy, drive my girlfriends crazy too. When my little ones ask why they take the bus and I donʼt pick them up from school? Well, guess what? My friends little one asks her the very same question. So, a little emotional support goes along way.

Recharge you Battery - Just like your cell phone, you need to recharge your battery. There are several ways to do this. Lyss spoke of her nightly bubble bathe routine quite fondly. Some Momʼs like to sit in front of the computer and surf the net, read a book or go for a run. This is essential to our performance, or in my case my patience and in Cynthia’s case, the ability to walk a straight line.

Remind Yourself that Hot Food Tastes Yummy - If you havenʼt sat down to a meal and had the luxury of digging in immediately, then itʼs been way too long. You need to, ditch the little ones this evening. Tell me if you’ve experienced even just one of these scenarios before. When I’m out with the family at a restaurant, I am always amazed at how the waiter always serves my entree first and then he puts down the other dishes after. Before I can take a bite, I need to set up my kids plates by cutting up small pieces and sometimes dissecting the bits and pieces of parsley that must be removed before my daughter will even think about eating from her dish. Then, there is the time spent fanning the food to cool it off. Once this is done, someone calls out that they need to use the bathroom and then just as i grab my fork and knife, there is a spill, or something has dropped. Eventually, I get to dig into my grub. I think this is why in the story of Goldilocks, Momma Bearʼs food was always too cold.

Out of Sight - Out of Mind - I struggle to explain this gem, but itʼs true, even when you find a couple of minutes to escape at home, you are quickly interrupted. Have you ever taken a shower and your little one finds you, opens the curtain and insists on having a conversation with you while your trying to wash your hair? Or, your little one is watching a DVD and you think you can close your eyes for 10 minutes and when you start to snooze a bit, there is a finger physically opening your eyelid and asking you if your sleeping? Sometimes, you just need to get them out of the house or you must leave to have some down time.

Being Missed is Fun Too - Just last week my husband and I went to a wedding in Canada, we had the grandparents take over for a couple of days. It was great (thank you mom)!!! We enjoyed waking up on our own and not to the morning chant of “mommy”. We enjoyed every meal on our own and I even got to catch up on some reading. We had a blast, but the best part was coming home to huge smiles, incredible hugs & kisses and squeals of joy.

Mommaʼs, it is essential to your beauty and your spirit to make time for yourself. Whether you sneak off to enjoy some time alone or grab a latte with a friend.

Those mommy timeoutʼs will help you keep your cool.

~ M’S GEMS

Want more?
Lyss Stern’s Book “If You Give A Mom A Martini” is chock full of hers and celebrity mom’s personal favorite mommy time outs!

The Modern Mom picture is borrowed...