Yesterday, I set my alarm for 6AM, yearning for a precious hour to myself before my little ones would demand my attention. But let’s be real—I’m pretty much on duty around the clock, especially with a newborn in the house.
The baby woke me at 4:45 for a feeding, and after I put her down at 5, I surprisingly felt a surge of energy. It was the first time in ages she had slept for a whopping SIX HOURS STRAIGHT. I had every reason to rise early and savor a hot cup of coffee, dive into a blog post, go for a jog, or even take a peaceful shower before my husband needed me to take over the parenting duties so he could head to work.
Instead of embracing my rare two-hour window of freedom, I did exactly what I vowed not to do when I set my alarm the night before. I pulled the blackout curtains tighter, snuggled back under the covers, and drifted off to sleep once again, as I often do.
As I settled back into dreamland, I made a promise to myself: I wouldn’t wake up two hours later feeling guilty for being “lazy” and missing out on productive activities, especially with my ongoing battle against the baby weight. Instead, I envisioned treating myself with the same kindness I would offer a friend in a similar situation.
I would say to that friend, “Are you kidding?! You lost the baby weight from your first pregnancy, and you’ll do it again—just give yourself at least two months. Take it easy on yourself; you have a SEVEN-WEEK-OLD.”
I would reassure her, “Sure, it’s great that your baby slept well last night, but one night of decent sleep doesn’t erase seven weeks of exhaustion.”
I would remind her, “You’ve got your hands full right now. It’s completely okay if your blog isn’t updated.”
And I would chuckle, “Let’s be real; you’ve nursed the same cup of coffee all morning before you even had a kid. That hot cup of coffee you dream about? It’s just a fantasy!”
When I finally woke around 7AM, I felt rested. I wasn’t exactly ready to shout, “Hurray for the day!” as my toddler often does. Sure, I didn’t stick to my original plan of waking at the desired time, but I wouldn’t judge a friend for hitting snooze after a night of being up with a baby.
We all know the Golden Rule: treat others as you wish to be treated. It’s usually easy to show kindness to others, but why is it often a struggle to extend that same compassion to ourselves? So here’s my twist on the Golden Rule: Treat yourself the way you would treat others. I promise to be more mindful of this practice.
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In summary, self-kindness is essential, especially in the chaotic world of parenting. By treating ourselves as we would a dear friend, we can navigate the challenges of motherhood with a gentler heart.
Keyphrase: practicing self-kindness in parenting
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