The Importance of ‘Me Time’ for Moms

super mom

As a mom, I find myself being an overachiever. I try to wear all the hats, put lots of things on my plate, get everything done, plan too many projects at once and be superwoman. One of the things I’ve always struggled with is making sure I schedule ‘me time’. I feel guilty taking time for myself and being away from my kids, but one thing you learn (or you HOPEFULLY learn) is that ‘me time’, even if it’s only once a month, is essential to you being the best mom you can be.

One of the things I do for “me time” is schedule myself a leg and bikini wax when I can afford it. I find the time relaxing and peaceful and I’m rewarded with beautiful smooth legs that my husband certainly appreciates too. It’s a win win! Another thing I do to take care of myself is schedule a hair cut at my favorite salon.

Now that my youngest child is almost 3 years old, it’s a little easier finding a moment alone during the day. I’ve started getting up at 6:00am now so I can have a cup of coffee in peace and enjoy the morning sun on my front porch before the kids wake up. It’s been a great way to start the day which helps me keep a better attitude for the rest of the day. If I’m really ambitious and the kids sleep in, I can get some Yoga in or at least 10 minutes on my stair stepper. It’s hard to convince myself to take care of myself in this way since I feel guilty that I’m not forcing myself to sit at the computer and catch up on work emails, but I’ve learned that I really need to take time out for me in order to be the best mom I can be. It’s one of those hard things that every mom needs to learn!

Whether it’s spending time with your girlfriends, shopping or working out, how do you find me-time as a mom? Describe what your favorite things to do are and share your best tips with us!

And if you want to feel like the best mom in the world, just watch Lifetime’s new series, Pretty Wicked Moms, set to Premiere June 4. This series follows 6 competitive Atlanta Moms that break all the molds of traditional motherhood. And that’s putting it nicely…

Watch the trailer to see what I mean.

I think you would agree that this show is definitely not to model ideal examples of good moms, although you could probably tell that from the name of the show.

After watching the trailer for the show,
please share in the comments what you think!!!!

Being a mom myself, I know it’s hard not to judge other moms. We all like to think we’re doing what’s “best” and we all have our own ideas of ideal parenting. I have to keep in mind that at the end of the day, we all do what we have to do and our family is still number one. (Or at least it should be!)

Still, I have to say that I can NOT relate to the moms in this show! Oh. My. Goodness. Wait till you see it… I can say that the 6 moms in this show are all definitely fashionable and beautiful, but ideal moms? Not so much! At least not in my opinion. Most of them act like teenage mean girls who have NO idea what being a mom really means.

It’s hard to decide which side of the fence to fall on… Torn between, “Wow, I’m totally boycotting this show because I don’t want Lifetime promoting such disgraceful parenting and lifestyles.” OR “Wow, these are moms are so bad that I feel a lot better about myself and my own shortcomings of as mother so I will keep watching it.”

Or???

What do you think? Sound off in the comments!

About the Show:

Ah, the cut-throat, crazy world of competitive mothering…and for six feisty Atlanta mothers in Lifetime’s all-new unscripted comedy Pretty Wicked Moms, it’s a raging, raucous mommy war. Jockeying to be the ultimate mom, this perfectly coiffed and manicured clique will stop at nothing to one-up each other. Whether it’s extravagant birthday parties, devising a strict vegan diet for their one-year-old or masterminding their baby’s social climb (or should we say crawl?) to the top, there’s no end to their plotting and scheming. Knowing the competition among them is fierce, these swanky mothers take motherhood and mischief to an entirely new and outrageous level. As one Pretty Wicked Mom claims, “They all want to be the prettiest, the thinnest, the richest; and their kids to be the smartest.”

The Pretty Wicked Moms, with their adorably fashionable children, high-end lifestyle and hilarious views on motherhood, will grace the small screen on Lifetime, starting Tuesday, June 4, at 10:00 pm ET/PT, immediately following Dance Moms.

Disclosure: The Fashionable Housewife’s number one goal is to provide unbiased editorials for our readers. However we occasionally receive free products or other compensation from companies for blogger reviews.

Fashionable Teething Necklaces for New Moms

gumigemIf you are a new mom, then you’ll be really excited to hear about these adorable and fashionable necklaces that are not only baby-safe, but functional as a teething ring too.

Introducing Gumigem Teething Jewelry!

Gumigem – a wide ranging line of award winning, baby proof, mummy jewellery designed to look amazing, but with your baby in mind. Babies love to grab, pull and chew on jewellery and this jewellery collection accommodates this, without damaging the jewellery or harming your baby. Nor does Gumigem compromise on style although it is practical and baby friendly it also looks great with a huge variety of necklaces and bangles.

teething necklaces

They have so many cute styles and colors to choose from! See them all at www.gumigemusa.com


We had our Assistant Editor Lisa Penny, who has TWINS, review one of the Gumigem Teething Necklaces and put them to the ultimate test!

Here is what Lisa had to say…

The Gumigem teething necklace is such a great concept! I was unsure at first because, with twin babies, I have gotten out of the habit of wearing necklaces for obvious reasons.

Soon after sporting the heart-shaped Gumigem necklace, I forgot it was there (when not in use.) That’s how comfortable the cord is around my neck. The teether is a beautiful rose-color too that goes well with many of my nursing tops. The babies love to look at, grab to play with and of course put it in their little mouths to chew on.

If they ever pull too tightly, it doesn’t hurt like a normal necklace, but rather come right undone, due to the easy release clasp. It is the perfect combination of fashion, convenience and need. Whoever created this product definitely knows busy moms and their teething babies. Thank you!

Here is her daughter, Olivia, enjoying her mommy’s fashionable necklace!

Olivia

LEGO DUPLO Playtime for The Fashionable Bambinos!

LEGO DUPLO knows the importance of playtime, and the special bonding moments that arise through play. So we were excited when we were asked to review some of Lego Duplo’s new products.

I have two children – a daughter who just turned 5 years old and a son who is 2 years old. They were eager to try out the “new toys” and the expressions on their faces when I opened the box was priceless…

We spent over an hour playing with LEGO DUPLO Creative Cakes and two different LEGO DUPLO Read & Build play sets.

About the toys…

LEGO DUPLO Creative Cakes

  • Build cakes, have a birthday party, serve the cakes to your parents on the pink lid that doubles as a tray

LEGO DUPLO Read & Build play sets

  • A new play experience for preschoolers that combines building bricks and a story book.
  • Interactive play experience, read the story as your child build along
  • Brings stories to life

Play is a timeless feature of human societies, and when combined with 21st century learning it provides children and adults with opportunities to experiment with their surroundings. Both me and my two kids really enjoyed the Read & Build sets. My 5 year old daughter was able to read the story and help her little brother build the animals from the book which was a great bonding experience for them.

The pictures in the book are simple enough for my two year old to look at and immediately build all by himself, which quite visibly gave him a thrill and a boost in his self esteem. It was a great activity they could do together that didn’t cause any fighting or jealousy as they were able to work with the toys together or apart. Through play, children explore and develop their multiple senses, which creates more brain synapses. This in turn contributes to a child’s overall intelligence. I feel that the Read & Build sets are built to do just that. I feel good about my kids playing with them and know they are learning AND having fun at the same time.

Here are a few shots from our fun playtime experience with the Read & Build Sets…



The Creative Cakes set was even more fun for them! More pieces and endless possibilities resulted in over an hour of happy playtime for both of them, together. It was also easy for me to play along with them which was a great bonding experience for all of us.

Here are some pics from our playtime with the Creative Cakes set…

Lego Duplo Creative Cakes set




Overall I was really happy with the Lego Duplo products and they will be our toys of choice when it’s time to play for a quite a while!


Readers of The Fashionable Housewife can enter for a chance to win $100 worth of LEGO DUPLO products! See details below!

How to Enter:

    Step 1: Go to www.pinterest.com and log onto your account.
    Step 2: Go to the Tend by Glam Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/TendByGlam) and click “Pin To Win” tab where you will be provided with the Contest image which you must pin to your Pinterest board.
    Step 3: Fill in your email address and click “Submit & Pin”
    Step 4: Re-pin the Contest Image to any Pinterest board, along with at least one (1) additional image from among a library of images available on the TendLEGO DUPLOPinterest board.

All steps must be completed during the Promotion Period to be eligible as an Entry. Sweeps ends November 30, 2012



Disclosure: Compensation was provided by LEGO DUPLO via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of LEGO DUPLO.

Must-Buy for Moms: The Rinse Hopper Diaper Changer

Wow, I really wish I had one of these when my son was a newborn! And I know, I know… it’s not a “fashion” item, but seriously, you will have a lot more time to be a Fashionable Housewife if you are spending less time dealing with diaper duty yo!

Introducing the Rinse Hopper, a nifty little necessity for those of you on diaper duty. New parents find out real quick that the biggest bummer of having a cute, new little blessing in their lives is diaper duty. (On top of not getting any sleep!) Who wouldn’t appreciate an easier method for changing their baby’s diaper? As the ultimate diaper changer, this ergonomically designed cradle saves parents money, helps you avoid diaper rashes and makes a dirty job, well, a lot less dirty!

On top of being an absolute must-have for new parents, this would make an excellent baby shower gift!

[Read more...]

Secrets of a Working Mom…Revealed!

Image courtesy of genderacrossboarders.com

Calling all Fashionable Housewives who are ALSO Fashionable Working Mothers…I saw this Real Simple article posted on a friends Facebook page this morning.  Like you, I’m sure, I struggle daily with which hat I’m wearing and wondering why oh why there aren’t more hours in the day to get done all the things that need tending to.  I loved the message in this article; that a work-life balance may be elusive but it’s not impossible.

In this season of resolutions and goals for the coming year, I encourage you to take 5 minutes (really, only 5 minutes!) and read this article.  It may help you figure out how to juggle a task that seems impossible or get one more thing done today…and it will definitely make you feel good about all that you do!

www.realsimple.com

 

 


Let’s Talk About Sex…

Ok, we know…it’s a sensitive subject…for EVERYONE …(except maybe the Kardashians…) but the truth is, it’s likely that the spark hasn’t sparked much since you had children, and the responsibilities of just keeping your head above water in this economy probably exhaust you before you’ve had time to think about getting frisky.  But that doesn’t mean you have to put your sex life on the back burner.  

In their book Stop Calling him “Honey” and Start Having Sex… authors Maggie Arana and Julienne Davis tackle head on the questions and issues that may be getting in your way.  According to their web site:  ”The greatest problem in long-term relationships is a diminished sex life, yet until now, no book has addressed the real cause of this problem. STOP CALLING HIM “HONEY” AND START HAVING SEX is the first to tackle why sexual boredom happens in the first place and to offer real solutions to rekindle desire. ”

Challenging the status quo, authors Julienne Davis and Maggie Arana maintain that using the word “honey” is the first signpost down the road to a sexual desert in our relationships. By doing so, we lose our individuality, our gender, and our differentness from our mate. When a couple uses the ubiquitous “honey” instead of their names, they blur the lines of their separate identities, and sexual attraction cannot survive. Once sweet, innocent “honey” infects our relationships, it becomes the deadly killer of desire.

This book is not about just a simple word however, but about how we relate to our partner in many ways. Our words, our gestures, our habits, even our eye contact-all of this affects our sexuality. STOP CALLING HIM “HONEY” AND START HAVING SEX is a revolutionary concept: It’s the everyday things we say and do that sabotage our sexual chemistry, and calling him “honey” is only the beginning.

If this sounds familiar, don’t stew about it or forget about it or think like there is something wrong with YOU…read the book and get your sexy on.  Available at Barnes & Noble Bookstores and Amazon.com

 

 

New Solutions for Picky Eaters (and Frustrated Mothers…)

Available at Amazon.com for $10.98, Kindle version $9.00

If you have a picky eater at home and love the “No-Cry Solutions” book series, you will be thrilled with Elizabeth Pantley’s new book The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution.    Half of surveyed parents say that their child doesn’t eat enough vegetables, 70% admit that their child eats too much junk food, and most parents feel that their child doesn’t eat a well-balanced diet.  A clear majority of families have at least one picky eater in the house!

If this sounds like you, you have to read Elizabeth’s new book.   Full of great tips and tricks to encourage more balanced eating, the suggestions in The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution can make a lasting difference in your child’s physical health – and your mental health!

 

This book isn’t just for the toddler set.  My 17 year-old daughter will only eat organic, vegetarian foods and my 12 year old son only likes the junk food.  Elizabeth’s book has some ideas that have allowed us (well, honestly my son and me!)  to find a happy medium so that shopping and meal prep is a more enjoyable experience.

Author Elizabeth Pantley

So if you’re tired of nagging about good nutrition and frustrated that you feel like you’re falling short, I recommend that you read Elizabeth Pantley’s new book for some great advice.    You can also sign up to receive a free set of parenting articles at no charge by sending a request to elizabeth@pantley.com.