Have you ever finally gotten out without the kids and those innumerable chores and errands? You sighed with pleasure at the thought of doing something you wanted to do and didn’t have to stop and change the baby or for that fact fix dinner. It really feels good.

Then suddenly, in the midst of your me time a twinge of guilt tried to surface making you feel as if you should be doing something other than taking time for yourself. It’s possible that you might even question having time alone. These feelings and questions are not uncommon to a loving and dedicated wife and mother.

Can mom have a hobby or is that a thing of the past when raising a family? When there are small children around its almost impossible, too.

You might think that there are parenting hobbies like girl scouts, coaching, lunch duty in the schools, the local PTO and the never-ending bake sales. However, they have the end result of caring for the children’s needs. Adult hobbies are for people with grown and gone children and those who are retired.

More often than not mothering in parenthood translates ‘me time’ to ‘us time.’ Why is that so? Well, children grow so very fast and as a mom when time is taken away from nurturing the kids to pursue something not “mother” you may risk missing their growing years and regret taking time for yourself when you wipe tears from your eyes as they drive off to college. You might chide yourself and say something like, “where did the time go?”

Additionally, if you do enjoy a hobby, it has to be enjoyed through the slits of parenting and raising children. When the baby is asleep, the rare times that dad takes care of the children for a couple of hours, when the kids are in school, etc. Still when that “spare time” arises there are more things to do to keep your family together. So, really where’s the time for me? It is during the slits in parenting:

• When the kids are asleep
• In school
• Visiting family
• And anywhere else you can find time

Remember, that in 24 hours just so much can be done. There’s no guilt in taking time for yourself. In fact when you take that much needed time for yourself, then those moments when you get back to mothering those adorable children will feel even sweeter. Your head will be clearer and you’ll be energized to wrap your mom’s cape around your shoulders again and do what you do best.

C. Renee