Alana Smith
Yesterday I was at my wits’ end with the people in my house. It was too cold to be outside and no one could agree on anything inside. My 10-year-old has all kinds of attitude right now and my five-year-old makes it his personal mission to bother his older brother…who in turn bothers him…and then, well, everybody bothers me.
So, I told my husband I was heading out for a bit, ya know, to cope. I needed a moment to myself before this crazy train left the station for good. I’m sure some people take medicine or go for a walk or entertain any number of bad habits, but when things get a little hectic in my house, I just need to go mosey—around HomeGoods.
I grab a coffee and stroll around. Then, I’ll head to my favorite thrift or antique store. Probably not the healthiest habit either, but it helps me reset. No one is yelling or testing my patience. No one is talking to me at all. I’m not expected to do anything other than push a buggy. I’ll pass moms on every aisle doing the same as me.
I just mosey around and think about baskets and lamps and what I’d like to do to our home at some point when I have more money. Sometimes I buy something, but a lot of times I don’t.
I think my husband thinks these outings are about shopping. He never asks or cares what I buy, honestly. He probably thinks my good mood upon returning is due to something in a bag. If that was the case, I would shop with friends. But I shop alone.
Because I’m really just buying myself time. Time alone. Time to chill out and regroup and head back home as a better mom.
So, here’s to however you buy yourself time. Just take it, enjoy it, and don’t feel guilty about it. When you take care of yourself, it’s so much easier to care of everyone else.
PS: If you find yourself in HomeGoods, I’ll probably be one aisle over.
xoxo,
Holy Moly Motherhood
Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 10 and 5), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.