The 6:00 alarm goes off. You jump out of bed. Get the kids ready for school. Fix breakfast. Eat breakfast. Grab coffee. Grab school bag…. Go! All day you hear, “Teacher. Teacher. Teacher.” School’s over, another meeting. Blah. Blah. Blah. Pick up kids. Dinner. Baseball. Bath, bed, sleep. A moment of silence…phew… but wait… Did I finish grading papers? Is (student) going to pass? Could I tutor him on Thursdays? Wait no, (child) has band practice… on and on… Sleep. Repeat.
Does this sound familiar? Are you a mom educator May-tired in October?!
Well, this lady is too! Being a mom of 2 young kiddos and working full-time as an educator is not easy. We are constantly pulled in so many directions. We can’t complete anything to its fullest. We struggle to separate our home life from our work life. Because, well, those kids at school… they aren’t just students. They are OUR kids, too. We live and breathe with them Monday through Friday 8 am-4 pm, sometimes even later! We wake up thinking about them and go to sleep thinking about them, worrying if we did enough. Will they make it? What could I do better?
Then, on the other hand, we have our own kids. While we’re at school, were constantly worried about them. Did they turn in their project? Did I tell them that dad was picking them up today? Is that bully at school still messing with them? These thoughts bombard our minds as we tirelessly work through the school day.
We can’t help it. We worry. We worry about our students; we worry about our kids. We worry about our significant others, parents, siblings, friends. WE JUST WORRY! If you’re like me, you’re probably a perfectionist on top of it all, too! We want to be the BEST mom, the BEST teacher, the BEST wife… but now we feel like we aren’t the best at anything. We’re DROWNING! It’s Halloween week and all I can think is, “Did I get all the costume materials? Does my daughter need a pumpkin? Where’s that book she’s supposed to take?” At work, I’m thinking, “Did I complete those tasks I was assigned? Did I get the materials together I needed? Will the students act bonkers this week?”
Well, I’m here to tell you… It’s OK. We’re human. We can’t be everything to everybody; we weren’t designed that way. You have to take time to separate your home life from your work life. You have to give yourself a break! If you don’t take care of yourself, then you won’t be worth anything to anyone. If you’re feeling May-tired right now, if this blog has your heart stirring, then try some of these suggestions below. I challenge you to try at least one! Then see how you feel. Find a strategy that works for you. Whatever keeps you sane and motivated to go on. We don’t need our best educators to burn out in October. We need their passion to continue burning, impacting students daily. We need them to be the teacher they are meant to be. Because of you, students are progressing, excelling, and loving school! And we need…YOU!
Self Care Strategies for the #EduMom:
- Find the Words – Find a verse, quote, or song that resonates with you and lifts you up. Read or listen to it when you need a moment to breathe and reenergize.
- Time Away – Schedule a date night or friends’ night. Take an evening all to yourself enjoy good company, food, and laughter. Reconnect!
- Relaxation – What better to relax than a hot bubble bath? Or you may enjoy a hot tub or swimming pool or even just a glass of wine sitting on the back porch. Whatever it is, take a moment and do it! Relax!
- Exercise – Sometimes a walk, bike ride, or even a HIIT workout can help us relieve some stress. Take time to sweat it out and rejuvenate!
- Passion Upload – One of my favorite ways to revitalize my soul is listening to a motivating educational podcast or reading a good educational book. Feed your educational soul with uplifting thoughts. Reignite your passion!
- Guilty pleasure – Sometimes we just need to be brain dead for a little while! I love watching a guilty pleasure tv show or movie, just to forget the stress of my world and recharge.
- Quality Time – Part of my stress comes from thinking I don’t do enough for my own kids. Take time to spend some quality time with each child at least once during the week. This one-on-one time will fill your heart and theirs! Reset.
- Family First – Think of a fun family activity that you could enjoy either during the week or on the weekend. We enjoy game nights! Together we play Guess Who?, Battleship, or just plain hide-and-seek. The kids love the games, and we get quality family time. Refocus!
Find a self-care strategy that resonates with you. Try it out and let me know how it goes! I would love to hear your thoughts and comments! #FocusOnYOU