I’m not sure if there has ever been a better time to make sure you are getting a mommy afternoon retreat into your schedule. I’m writing this during the pandemic of 2020, aka, the year we won’t forget anytime soon, and am realizing that I have GOT to make this time alone a priority. And this is coming from someone who literally wrote a book on taking mini-retreats.
I remember when my daughter starting dropping her afternoon nap. I had come to really appreciate that break in the afternoon to the point I didn’t want to give it up! So I did the only thing I could think of—I created an afternoon “quiet time” for the both of us.
She would go to her room for an hour or two with a huge stack of books and an easy to munch on snack, and I would be gifted that time alone. Because I taught her how to do this when she was young, it has always been a habit for us.
Until recently. I don’t what it has been about this year, but those quiet times have morphed into walks outside (a good thing, but they can be accomplished at a different time of the day), making projects, running errands…basically anything other than time alone for each of us. And with Christmas season coming up, it is oh so easy to use that time to paint salt dough ornaments and make Christmas cards.
But just this week, I noticed an added weariness in me. I would get through dinner time and then be toast. I just wanted to lie on the couch. I realized this was in part because I’m an introvert and go-go-going all day without having time to mentally recharge is really a challenge for me.
So we started again today. Got out the stack of books, cut up some apples and sprinkled them with cinnamon for the kiddo, and made a treat of hot cocoa for myself. (I also LOVE this decaf black tea that is literally the best decaf tea I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried soooo many.) I also nibbled on a bit of my Theo chocolate because it is a special treat.
I make a big deal about this quiet time (“Oh, this is going to be so much fun!” “Look at all these wonderful books!” etc.) and make sure I have something to do as well, such as diving into a good book for the hour.
Friends, it seems like such a small thing. A tiny, minuscule, seemingly unimportant quiet spot in the day, but let me tell you, it will fill your soul up to the brim.
One note, guard this time for yourself and don’t use it to scroll through social media or to check your email. Allow yourself to sketch, work in your happy journal, read, or even to just sip a cup of tea and look at the Christmas tree sparkling in all its glory.
I sit on the couch which looks directly out to our porch where I have several bird feeders installed. Watching the chickadees, nuthatches, and downy woodpeckers come in to snack is so sweet. I just love watching their antics.
I hope you will make a plan to create some Mommy retreat time for yourself this week. Start small. And work up to the time you would like—you won’t regret it. And you’ll be teaching your little one independence and the joy of quiet for themselves as well. (P.S. If your little one isn’t into a stack of books, choose something else that will delight them and keep them entertained. Honestly, my kiddo loved making scenes with pieces of felt when she was tiny. So simple, but they were easy for her to manipulate and play with all by herself.)
Hope you all have a lovely {and creative} week!
