Mother's Day During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: 10 Self-Care Tips for Moms in the Time of Our New Normal by Leslie Lee

Right now is such a challenging time for so many moms because of COVID-19. I am at home with my kids homeschooling, cooking, cleaning and trying to be a sexy wife. All while trying not to go crazy. I don’t know about you, but I have gained so much more respect for teachers and mothers. On Mother’s Day, even though I cannot go anywhere, I am going to put makeup on, get dressed up and take some pictures with my family to celebrate.

The meaning behind Mother's Day is so amazing, and I think mothers should be celebrated daily. I hate when moms say, “Well, I am just a mom,” as if it’s not a worthwhile adventure! Being a mom has been the hardest, most rewarding adventure of my life. I believe that my greatest lessons and deepest insecurities have been shown in motherhood. I think that being a mom has shown me the purest form of love, not because I love my kids unconditionally (I do), but because they love me unconditionally. My kids have shown me to love without expectation, especially when they are so little. You can hurt their feelings and they will forgive you quickly. They look up to me. They cheer for me. They love me in all my mess and in all the chaos, sometimes I think they love me more than I love me.

I have found a lot of mixed emotions around Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day can be happy for some because they get to spend it with their children and family. On the other hand, it can be extremely hard for mothers who have lost a child or had a miscarriage. My heart also goes out to the moms who don’t get to be with their children – those with strained relationships with their mother or mother-in-law, with moms in prison, in the hospital, in the military or who have passed on. Mother’s Day may be a special day for me, but it is also an extremely difficult one for so many others.

I think even men, specifically husbands and significant others have it difficult! I know, don’t roll your eyes just yet. They are expected to buy their wife something from the kids and then make sure they get something for their own mother, all while trying to balance who they spend the day with. Do I try to get dinner with my mom before Mother’s Day? Do I send her flowers? While most of the time our partners forget to take the garbage out or pick up something from the store.

Seriously, maybe it is just me, but I want to feel special on Mother’s day and be thought of! But when kids are young they can’t go buy you a gift, and if your husband doesn’t take the time, he (insert eye roll) forgets. Or, if you are divorced or separated, then what? Even if they remember, what should they get? Fresh flowers? A necklace? I’ll be honest, I can be challenging to buy for. Half the time my husband picks something out for me and it’s not exactly what I wanted anyway. Then he feels bad and unappreciated as if it was a waste of his time to try.

Then there are women like me. I know that my husband is most likely going to forget, so I buy his mom something, my mom something and myself something. I think that there are so many things to think about that we miss. I am a mom, I have a mom and my husband has a mom. I also have a blended family and want to make sure that my kids recognize all their grandmas. You put all that together and it can be difficult to manage. I am by nature a people pleaser, so it's hard for me to demand that I get all the attention. I want to celebrate the moms in my life. I have spent years on mother's day exhausted going from one place to the next with the hopes of getting home in time to maybe celebrate me. It's a challenge for me to balance it all in one day – even on a day, that’s supposed to be about celebrating me.

Self-care is different for every woman I know. Some women lock themselves in a closet just to get away because they need some quiet time. I know some moms who like to relax and take a bath with a glass of wine, while others just want to take a nap. I do not believe there is a one size fits all. Self-care for me is coloring my grays, putting on a face mask and taking a bath. Some would say that self-care is selfish, but I believe that I cannot fully show up without taking care of myself, physically, emotionally and spiritually first. I can’t pour from an empty cup. Be sure to take time for yourself and your heart. What makes you feel celebrated? How do you feel loved the most? Do those things. Here are a few ideas of my own to get you started:

Self-care Tips for Mother’s Day

• Take a bath.
• Paint your nails.
• Walk around the block alone.
• Put some headphones on and listen to your favorite song.
• Ask your kids to tell you things that they love about you.
• Plant a garden.
• Buy yourself flowers.
• Buy some new shoes.
• Do a 10-minute workout video.
• Make a new habit body ritual – dry brushing, happiness oil and lotion.
  

I am a mom every day. Some days are the best days of my life; other days are miserable, challenging and absolutely exhausting. Sometimes I feel like I am messing everything up – including my kids. (It scares me when I think of all the therapy they are going to need.) But at the end of the day, I believe with all my heart that every mom is the perfect mom for her kids, though it is not an adventure to be taken lightly. You were chosen to be a mom. Celebrate that every day, especially on Mother’s Day.

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