The little known mommy secret -

I admit it. It is true. I am a better mommy when I get some time off here and there. I come back refreshed and excited to read Go Dog. Go! for the thousandth time. I want to know what they did while I was gone. And I don't feel like if someone touches me again I'm going to bite their head off. Yep. Even a simple hug can send me into touch overload after too much time being hung on and clung from. My poor hubby. He gets the left overs at the end of the day, when I am way touched out.

It occurred to me that maybe we seasoned moms' haven't shared this tidbit with our new mommy friends. It seems like a simple concept. I mean we all know that we need to leave work at work, at least sometimes. That we simply can't be on-call for work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. We take vacations, we work more or less set hours. When we work more than usual we are compensated for our overtime. And yet, when it comes to taking time away from the family it is all too easy to set your own needs aside and focus on what the family needs/wants. Putting the children's needs first IS part of being mom, but there is a time when what is best for the family, is mom taking a little time to herself.

As mommy, you are on call all the time. If a child develops a fever at 3am, mom gets woke up, not dad. The children don't come into the room saying "Dad, I don't feel well." It's "M-O-H-M-!" Quite honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. I like that they want to come to me - but sometimes I need to get away. I need someone else to handle customer service for awhile. And I see that need in other moms too.