4 Ways to Practice Self-Care During Mother’s Day
Written by Kristi Yeh, LMFT
Whether you work outside the home in addition to the work you do in the home raising humans, you are important. As Mother’s Day nears, here are some tips to make it special for you!
“Normalizing taking care of yourself, just as much as you take care of others.”
If there are other important mothers nearby, think about how to structure your Mother’s Day celebration. If there are wonderful grandmothers or other loved ones that you celebrate Mother’s Day with, think about if you want joint or separate celebrations. I typically have a day that is dedicated to celebrating grandmas, and then a day just for me, my kids, and my spouse.
Communicate in advance how your family can celebrate you. If you love surprises, then go for it! But, if you are hoping your family will read your mind, try communicating directly and see how it feels. I let my spouse know I’d love for him to take the kids out in the morning to bring me my favorite coffee, and then I’ll ask my kids to each draw or make me something for Mother’s Day.
Celebrate yourself. Be sure to give yourself the gift you want most on Mother’s Day by taking time to identify what that is and to have enough time to make it happen. It could be pampering, sleeping in, buying yourself something you’ve been wanting for a while, or anything else that makes your heart feel joyful. I enjoy AH Lip & Body Butter and Sukie’s Candles for some self-care treats. Puzzle Culture and Reese’s Book Club have great self-care boxes! If you are not sure where to start, take the Love Languages quiz to find out how you receive love—and then give it to yourself.
It’s okay to take a break from your kids on Mother’s Day. My mantra comes from a wise grandmother in my life, “enjoy time with your kids, and enjoy your time away from your kids.” This mantra gives me permission to take breaks from parenting, and it helps me stay more present when I’m with my kids or when I’m away from them. It’s okay if part of your Mother’s Day plans includes a date night, time with friends, or time alone. Claim what you need mamas!
“The fact that you crave regular time away from your kids and partner has absolutely nothing to do with your degree of love for or dedication to them. The fact that we associate having needs and wanting to thrive with seeming to love our families less, speaks of the toxic conditioning meant to keep mothers from thriving.”
I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and here’s to doing the loving things we feel entitled to do on Mother’s Day for ourselves all year long.
Related Blog Posts:
Using the 5 Love Languages for Valentine’s Day by Kristi Yeh, LMFT
Avoid Burnout by Challenging The Four Barriers to Self-Care (including guilt) by Kristi Yeh, LMFT
Free Mindful Self-Compassion Webinar by Kristi Yeh, LMFT
Kristi Yeh is a parent of two, and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been practicing in California for over ten years. She currently works in school-based mental health at a public elementary and middle school. A part of Kristi’s role entails discussing self-care with parents. Research shows that the better the adults take care of themselves, the healthier our children are at home and school.
