Things I Took for Granted Before Kids

Oh the simple things in life! Sometimes I wish I could go back to my pre-mama self to enjoy and savor the simplest of indulgences. Obviously, the endless amounts of sleep is a basic human need that I wish I never took granted before I had kids. But, there’s more; so much more that I wish I didn’t take for granted before I became a mom. It is a lesson learned in time and most days, I make do with my substitutes and squeezing these things in whenever I can. Some of these include:

A Hot Shower

Long gone are the days that I could leisurely sleep in and take a long, hot shower to get my days started. Some days I can’t even find time to shower at all! Thank goodness for dry shampoo, am I right?! Haha, but all jokes aside, I try to shower at nighttime after the kids are down for the night. It’s not as good as it used to be, but it’s still nice to take an uninterrupted, hot shower.

A Cup of Hot Coffee

I try my best to finish a cup of hot coffee in the morning. But, usually I’m busy running around during our morning shuffle that my cup sits cold until the afternoon. Reheated cups of coffee have become an acquired taste in the last few years of parenting. I take what I can get and sometimes try to wake up earlier in the morning so I can have a few minutes of quiet to myself.

Sweet Treats

There isn’t an indulgent treat I can have for myself without tiny toddler hands grabbing it for their own taste. The mornings I get up earlier than the kids, I make sure to indulge in my newest fave treat, Oui by Yoplait, from Walmart, an all-new French style yogurt. The texture is thick and creamy and subtly sweet in taste. I savor every spoonful of Oui as I fuel up to start our happy, chaotic days.

It’s something just for me to enjoy and I love starting the day off with self-care. The early morning moments of peace and quiet pair perfectly with the fresh taste of Oui.

Spontaneity

Whether it’s a date night on the town or just stepping out to run a quick errand, I desperately miss the spontaneity of pre-kids life. While I won’t ever be able to just do things on the fly anymore, I’m so grateful for my mom’s help. Because of her help during the week, I’m able to do a lot compared to my friends who don’t have childcare. I run quick errands as they come up, I can drop off/pick up my oldest without his brothers, and sometimes I can even get in a doctor’s appointment or hair cut on a moment’s notice.

Me Time

My husband and I try to give each other solo time frequently. But, this doesn’t change the fact that most days, I always have one or three sidekicks with me. I’ve always enjoyed being around people in general and don’t need a lot of ‘me-time,’ per se. I think it’s something that I crave more as a mom just because I don’t have much of it in my day to day. I try to make up for it, by making time for myself in the morning and at night. Like I mentioned earlier, I usually have my Oui yogurt in the mornings, but sometimes I save it for a night time treat. There’s something about the stillness at night that allows me to have a slow moment to myself.

Reading Books

I’ve been a bookworm since childhood. Before having kids, I could literally read several books in a week. These days, there just isn’t enough time for me to indulge in my favorite past time. I’m trying to find little moments throughout the day when I can take a break while pumping. Or at night, I try to read a few chapters instead of watching a TV show.

Basically, I’ve learned in my almost five years of parenting that while there may not be enough time for everything; you can always choose to make time for the things that are important to you. While it may not be at the slow, leisurely pace of pre-kids life, it’s not an end-all, be-all situation either.

Oui by Yoplait is inspired by a traditional French recipe. I love that Yoplait uses simple, non-GMO ingredients like whole milk and real fruit poured and set in each glass pot. Don’t forget to head to your local Walmart to pick up Oui by Yoplait for a me-time treat!

Pin It!