Photo by Masha Rotari
Can I get a head nod or a “YASSS” from every mom that has found herself doing the jobs of teacher, chef, nurse, IT department, as well as being the mommy for the past two months during the stay at home order? And don’t forget that you have a full-time job that you are barely hanging onto because your employment hinges on whether your employer is approved the for Payment Protection Plan (PPP) loan. That’s a lot of plates in the air. It’s not easy, but for us moms, we get the job done. Miraculously all homework gets finished, bellies are full, and there are enough clean socks for tomorrow. Mother’s Day couldn’t have come at a better time. Moms everywhere have been running full throttle during COVID-19, and it’s time to slow down, if only for a day.
We’ve come up with some ideas that will help moms forget about the pandemic for a little while. If you are a mom, share this article with your family. Give them some ideas on how you can take all the hats off of your head and revert back to only being a mom.
01 | Virtual Tours
Grab an iPad or laptop and get cozy. Spend a few hours taking virtual tours of places that you have always wanted to see. Choose from museums like The Louvre or the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, take a tour of a zoo or aquarium like the Atlanta Zoo or the National Aquarium, or check out the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. If you want more excitement, you can take a tour of SeaWorld or Disney. Just google “virtual tours” and see what pops up.
02 | Commitment Free Tattoos
Do you have a love of art? Lift your spirits by creating commitment free-tattoos. Creating art stimulates your creative side and gives you space where you can use colors to describe your mood. You can make a washable tattoo with liquid or pencil eyeliner and hairspray to waterproof it. You can also order a henna kit online that includes stencils and henna paste.
03 | Listen to the World Around You
Be present and listen. There are so many roles that moms are playing right now, and it seems almost impossible to do everything and be everything for everyone. This is your time to slow down and notice all the wonderful behind-the-scenes activity going on around you. Things like the hum from the refrigerator, the leaves shaking, an engine knocking, or a squirrel eating an acorn. Keep a list of all the sounds you hear.
04 | Wear What You Want
Permit yourself to wear whatever you want today. Stay in your pajamas, try on your partner’s clothes or wear that fancy dress in the back of your closet. What feels good on you?
05 | Dance All Day
Now, more than ever, we need to tap into the joy that dancing brings us. Keep the music going all day and sporadically break into crazy dance moves that make you laugh. Laughter eliminates stress and lifts your spirits. If dancing isn’t your thing, go ahead and do something calmer like yoga.
06 | Online Cooking Class
Try an online cooking class. It doesn’t matter what level or how much experience you have. You can even get everyone in the house involved in this one. One person collects the ingredients, and one person preps the food, one person mixes, etc. You can find some good cooking classes online for around $10.
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