Running on Empty, Mom?
Running on empty, who is going to fill MY tank?
I love being a woman, a Mommy, a business woman, and a nurturer……but there are times I just want to be nurtured because I am running on empty!
Do you ever have those mornings, you wake up when you just wanted to sleep a little longer? As you turn over, you see….
- Cute little eyes staring at you
- Tiny little fingers poking at you
- Loud little voices calling your name
- Mommy, I wet the bed
- Mommy, I’m hungry
- Mommy, I can’t reach the cereal
- oops, I spilled the milk
- Mommy, I can’t turn the water off in the bathroom
- Mommy, I had a scary dream
- Mommy, the dog jumped in the trash can
- Mommy, the cat ate my hamster
- Mommy, I don’t wanna go to school
- Mommy…..Mommy…..Mommyyyyyy
You jump out of bed, mostly to turn the water off in the bathroom before it creeps through the floor onto your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling and onto his head at the breakfast table. Don’t laugh, it happened last year when I left the bathroom sink running because I was out of my mind.
After feeding them soggy cereal, making sure everyone is dressed somewhat decent, including you, it is time to herd the cattle (I mean kids) into the minivan. The drive to school is not the least bit quiet. As you pull up in front of the school, you are truly thankful for the teachers who are ready to receive this motley crew. (You remind yourself, you must bring them Starbucks gift cards as a thank-you gesture.)
Finally, silence as you drive to work, rather numb from the foggy morning. Remembering you never had that first cup of coffee, you are on a mission as you walk through the revolving doors toward your office. Before you reach the coffee station, you hear voices…..
- Where is the paperwork for the Martin case?
- Don’t forget we have a conference call at 10:00.
- Jack called in sick, you have to handle the lunch meeting with our new client. By the way, you might want to call Jack for a review as he took the client file home last night.
- We need to order ink cartridges. Oh, we just ran out of coffee too.
Seriously????? It is not my day.
Eventually, the office day is done, and you are relieved to get in your quiet car, not even wanting the radio on. As you look around the mini-van, you see this morning’s juice box stuck to the back seat and kid’s school papers tossed on the floor. As you roll out of the parking lot, you hear the little beep telling you your gas tank is close to empty. Rolling into the gas station on fumes, you breathe a sigh of relief. As you fill the tank, you ponder your life and say to yourself…… “I am running on empty, who is going to fill my tank?”
Take heart Moms, especially those of you who have no partner, no support system. It is tough to be a Mom. It’s tough to be on 24/7. When you are feeling empty, I encourage you to reach out to a friend, a co-worker, your spouse, sometimes a counselor. Spend some time getting your tank filled.
- Take a day off.
- Get a massage, a manicure, get pampered.
- Take a nap.
- Plan a girlfriends weekend and get out of town. (If you don’t have a babysitter, trade kids with a friend for the weekend and you take hers another weekend.)
- Do something nice for yourself.
Moms need fuel to keep going. Don’t forget to be good to yourself too.
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More encouragement for you Mom in Enjoying the Constant of Parenting, Being the Best Mom I Can Be and You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be a Great Mom.
