Thursday, July 7, 2011

Balanced Parenting

You may have noticed, I'm a stay at home mom. I love my kids and know how important every moment is that I spend with them. They will only be children once and each minute is precious. Yet, I am not defined by my children. I am more than "just" a mom. I have hopes and dreams of my own, while supporting my kids. One of the things I've always wanted to try is the trapeze. I really should have tried this when I was in shape before kids, but the opportunity never presented itself. We were going to a wedding in Florida and I was so excited I was finally going to be able to try it. Then we found out they don't offer trapeze lessons in the summer. (Seriously? Who made that rule?) I figured I would keep putting it off. For my birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to Austin, TX to try the trapeze. It's not what most mothers of 10 month old twins would want for their birthday, but it was perfect for me.

 My wonderful husband learning how to hang
 My turn to learn
 The kids contained in the corner
Did I mention my fear of ladders? 
(Not heights, ladders. You read that right.)

After having this experience (with my kids watching) I realized how much I needed to spend some time doing things for me. I was able to start attending alumni activities for my undergraduate university. It helps that just a couple of months later I was no longer providing the breast milk for the babies. There were even a few evenings that I would just go to a coffee shop and read. My husband is great at encouraging me to take care of myself - physically, mentally and emotionally. I am a more balanced parent now. I still spend most of my time with my kids cherishing every moment, but it's important to also have time for me. What are some things you do to remain a balanced parent?


My husband's turn to try being caught.
My turn

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