I said it. I admit it. I own it. I’m a stay at home mom you needs a time out from all the stuff that goes with being just that. I remember the first time I saw the commercial that says how Moms don’t get a sick day and realized how true that cruel reality was. I mean my little employers don’t have someone to cover me but that doesn’t mean my work days can’t get a but overwhelming at times.

School days I rise just as early if not earlier than I did when I had an in office job. Most days my ‘clock out’ time is non-existent. I basically crawl into bed hoping sleep comes quick and the morning comes slow. Summer days seem even longer because I mean why should mom’s get a break just because the kids do right? My summer days are filled with non-stop efforts to keep the boredom monsters away for 3 Kiddies who seem to think I run a summer camp instead of a home.

This seemingly endless busy-ness at times has me at my wits end. Literally. Like no really. I have days I can barely piece a thought together. I start forgetting stuff and things. Appointments get missed. Things just don’t go according to plan. These are clear signs that I am in need of a time out. Time out from being mom, wife, friend, volunteer, pat member- all of it. I need to just be me and give my brain a bit of recovery time from all that’s going on.

How does a mom have a time out? Well I schedule it of course!  My house runs only because of a lot of stickies, post-its and calendars. So when it comes to finding a bit of time for me I finally figured out the only way to make sure I get it is to schedule it in!

I write it on our family calendar as something everyone will think is important enough not to be rescheduled but not realize it’s a Mom time out. Why the trickery you ask? Because I’m a mom and if they realize it’s not something important to anyone besides me trust me it will be crossed off and replaced by something else. So instead I schedule my time out by keeping it a secret from them and at times from me. I schedule them a bit ahead of time so when it comes around I’m not only surprised but most days – relieved.

I actually just realized as I was writing this that I have one scheduled for tomorrow. Its funny how well I know me. I am definitely on the verge of exhaustion. It’s been nothing but going here, there and everywhere the past few weeks and I’m ready to call a time out for sure!

You know it’s bad when you wake up tired and feel like you need a nap before you even leave the house. Well apparently my past self knew this was coming and gifted me tomorrow to do absolutely nothing between the hours of drop off and pick up.

So what shall I do? Oh the things I do when the Kiddies are away! Watch mindless tv, read endless Facebook feeds, spoil my sweet tooth and take naps like a kindergartener. I resist the urger to work for either myself or anyone else. I focus on the nothing. I empty my head and give my brain time to reboot itself. Due dates, field trips, school projects, grocery lists. I forget it all for at least a few hours.

I admit by the time pick up hour rolls around I’m feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a few more weeks of this life I call motherhood. Still to get it done I think every mom needs a time out every now and then! Don’t you??

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