The Balancing Mama

So the U of M put out this study about how moms aren't as healthy as their non-maternal counterparts.  Well, of course we're not!  Most of us have days that revolve around our kids and families, and we don't have the time to work out, eat right, and do all the things we'd do if we didn't have kids.

Me?  Well, with me it starts when I get knocked up and eat to my hearts content.  I'm not kidding, there's an open package of Hostess Crullers looking me in the face right now.  And I'm only holding myself back by not eating them all right now.  Maybe one for every paragraph?  We'll see.

I did manage to get back in shape after Brennan was born, but that was with a lot of help from Weight Watchers, and finding exercise routines that I could do with my kids.  You know, like work outs on the Wii, walking outside, or Walk Away The Pounds DVDs.  But it's hard to find enough time to do everything I want to do for the kids, the husband, and some time for me too.  I will say I have an awesome husband who encourages me to go knit with my girlfriends or get time away.  And that's great for me emotionally.  But with the way I eat with them, it may not always be the healthiest thing I do.

I suppose it's nice to see I'm not the only mom who has trouble finding the balance and remembering to take care of herself.  At the same time, I think maybe balance is not something you find, and then you've got it.  I think it's something that you have to work for.  Like making the little corrections on a steering wheel to keep going straight down the road.

I do take time for blogging, for working and practicing my faith, for looking up which herbs I want to grow  this Spring and begin to harvest.  I take time to laugh with my kids, and play tickling games on the sofa,, and for spending time with other people I love.  But that doesn't mean I'm always balanced.

Maybe working for balance is more important than actually having it.  And maybe being a bit more understanding and forgiving with ourselves would be helpful, too.  I think moms are so much harder on themselves than they need to be.