For children or people who do not have small children, the word "vacation" is like a magic word and with many pleasant synonyms: relax, rest, freedom, play, travel, stress. But when you're a mom or dad, it often doesn't mean the same.
Since I was a mother, the meaning of vacations has changed for me, and more than a break to rest, it represented the opposite. Or so I thought, until I decided to let my daughter guide me and give me a great lesson on this vacation: life is more enjoyable when you learn to let go and relax.
I know that my situation is one that not all mothers have: I work from home, which allows me to have a flexible schedule and that can be adjusted to the needs of my family, in this case my four-year-old daughter. Those who also work from home or have the opportunity to stay with their children on vacation, may identify with what I will share today. And is that many times, it is our children who give us life lessons, instead of doing it with them.
I have discovered that being a mother is living in constant learning. When you have children, you realize that many of the things that before mattered no longer have the same value, and now there are others that turn out to be your top priorities. No doubt not only our body, but also our way of thinking changes when we are moms.
Holidays as a mom working at home
When my daughter attends school, it is easy for me to finish all my earrings while she is in those four or five hours under the care of her teachers: I exercise, write the articles of that day and do a couple of things at home.
But when the holidays come, chaos appears! Or so I felt. And I was thinking about everything I could or could not do when I had my daughter at home, because besides that she still demands a lot of my attention, I like to enjoy all the time I spend with her.
So I worried about different things and one of them was my job, because I have never been in favor of working when she is awake or at home, because She is still small and requires that she be with her almost all the time.
And although of course I have done it when necessary, explaining that Mom needs a couple of hours to work and giving her her book to color or giving her some puzzles to put together, most of those times she asks me to stop working, telling me to release my laptop to be together.
However on vacation, this would be something every day, and that's where my worry and stress came from. I thought about establishing work schedules, which is something that some mothers who work from home do, but I wanted my daughter to feel that she was really on vacation.
I wanted us to have the luxury of sleeping until we wanted to and that if she wanted to go out for ice cream, we could do it without thinking twice. I wanted that if we felt like it, we would reveal ourselves by making a movie night. That if we wanted to spend a day playing in his "castle" in pajamas, there was nothing to stop us. I wanted us to live the holidays for what they are: a break from the school routine.
It is true that the routine is good for children and we must try to keep them in summer, but it is also true that our children will only be small only once and creating fun memories is one of the most beautiful and enriching parts of childhood (and being parents!).
So one day, I decided that I would relax, let myself be guided by it, and release some of the stress I felt about "everything I had to do." I focused on being happy and enjoying freedom and without schedules these days when my daughter is on vacation. Without a doubt, it was the best decision.
And I know, because I can see it in me, but above all, I can see it in her, that is happy to be with mom and to know that I can be available when she needs me. We go for a walk together, play or dance in the evenings and at night we make movie night or read several books before bedtime. At ease, without hurry.
It is true that Now I reveal myself to finish my earrings and perhaps that rest that we yearn for mothers on vacation I have not had, but working when she is already asleep also has its advantages, because so I can focus on what I do and I have the peace of mind that she is well, sleeping a few meters from my.
I know that as adults it is not easy to say "I don't do it anymore" period. But life is short and our children will grow very fast. So relax, be flexible and to the best of your ability, let go of all those things and enjoy the holidays next to your children.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Before and after being a mother: how the value of things changes, Take advantage now that they are young: your children will be children only once, Holidays at home: nine ideas of activities for the whole family, Seven tips for a happy holiday with children
