Because a Happy Mother is the key to happy family!!!

Being a Mom is not a cheesy job and when it comes to Mom of multiples, trust me it is not for the faint of heart.

Every mom’s life revolves around her family only. Their schedules, their hobbies, their choices, their food and even their health. So, basically its all about them – husband, kids, in laws, pets etc etc. We try to give our best, day in and day out to cater their requirements. And in this journey, while continually striving to become superwoman, we make many sacrifices to ensure our kids and other family members have everything they need to be happy. But what about us, the sole caretakers? We ignore ourselves physically, emotionally and end up being sick and frustrated at times. Don’t get me wrong here – there is nothing more rewarding than seeing my kids growing beautifully and happily and it’s worth all the sacrifices and sleepless nights. But as a mom, we should realise that we are also important. We are that pillar of the family without which the family members will not be happy and complete. So, high time we should start taking care of ourselves too.

I don’t believe in resolutions as such as every year on second day itself, I break them so this year I called it as a”promise” to myself for taking proper care of myself, staying healthy and happy.

So, here are few changes I have adopted and can see the difference in a month itself. I have found a new version of me – a happier and healthier one. I wish I did this long before but better late than never, so here you go:

Waking up half an hour early: I used to be a night owl and never a morning person but it is rightly said “jab sar pe padti hai, sab karna padta hai”, so after marriage, like any other wife, I also started getting up relatively early but now I get up 30 mins earlier than I used to do it before a month. Morning schedule of moms in every family is jam packed, cooking breakfast, packing lunch for husband, kids, getting kids ready for school etc etc etc so again it’s about others only. Waking up half an hour early gives me some time alone with my husband, when we can sip our morning coffee together, do some yoga or exercise. I personally find this the best change I did as I feel fit and recharged for handling kids tantrums and other challenges, the day has in store for me.

Eating healthy, eating on time:  I was never a health conscious person when it comes to me. Though, I make sure I feed my family, my kids everything healthy but this rule was never applicable on me. In the quest to finish all the household chores and office stuff, I ran empty stomach frequently, munched on chips, snacks, skipped meals and kept ignoring my health. But, not anymore!!!

Now, I make sure to grab my morning tea and breakfast on time. Only eating healthy is not important, eating on time is more important. Be consistent to your routine. Eat well and on time. Add more fruits, veggies in your diet and less sugar, salt, processed food, aerated drinks. Keep yourself hydrated. You bet, you will see the difference in a month.

(Chocolate is something I am still trying to curb my craving for, but here, success seems quite far!)

Work out: I have a lean body so never felt the need to hit the gym. But now, I have started going on evening walks. Once my husband is back home from work, I make sure to get out of my nest for a brisk walk alone. To be honest, I feel so drained out by the evening that I have no energy to exercise so I go on a walk or jog sometimes. Walking on grass barefoot soothes me a lot. Those few mins of freshness leaves me like a happy soul decked up for the rest of the action packed evening. As some work out is important at some age, it serves as a stress buster too. Other options could be joining a dance class/aerobics/Zumba etc. See what best suits you.

Pamper yourself: To me makeup is just putting lipstick and kajal. But lately, I realised sometimes, it’s good to shower some love to yourself too. Replacing your 2 mins shower with a relaxing bubble bath on weekends when your husband can take care of the kids will do wonders. Book a spa session for yourself, a manicure, pedicure, facial, haircut. Buy a new dress, gift yourself flowers, drool over your favourite food and everything that makes you feel good about yourself. Why to wait for someone to pamper you, go ahead mommy, take a break.

Dress up: Make a habit of dressing up well daily even if you are home and not going out. No pajamas anymore, get yourself a new wardrobe with comfortable clothes, tees, palazzos etc. You will feel good about yourself. Take a minute out to make up your beautiful tresses instead of that old messy bun.

Go out with friends: Keeping in touch with friends after kids is not easy but a day in a month won’t harm anyone. Plan a girls out with your friends, fellow mommies, with whom you can talk your heart out, listen and relate to them without any judgments. A lunch date, shopping or just a cup of coffee together will do the job. This will make you feel you are not alone in tired mommy’s club.

Self care is not being selfish, rather it’s rewarding. These little breaks what I call as “Me time” or “Mommy time” proved to be very rejuvenating. Little changes in lifestyle can make big  differences. So mommies, take a vow and stop doing disservice to yourself and your family by ignoring yourself. Add yourself, your happiness, your health in your priority list too. Remember you are precious and your family needs you and it’s going to be a win win game in the end.

I am totally loving the changes and the new me. Please let me know your views too. Love!

Follow me on:

https://www.facebook.com/vartikasdiary/

Wish Heaven has a phone call…Miss you dear Papa, a short poem

Wish Heaven has a phone call

I would have asked God

Why He took you away

Why between us, there is a wall

 

I will ask Him to make me talk to you once

Don’t know if I will hear you again

I will be able to speak up or not

I fear if you still remember me or forgot

 

It will break my heart if you don’t recognize me

But I know I’m always in your heart and you can never hurt me

You will call my name, you will cry

Helpless me, just wish I could fly

 

My name on your lips will take all my pains away

How I wish I could hug you straight away

I will fight with you for leaving us alone

No excuses no reasons

The only thing we want is

Please come back home

 

Home is not same without you

Every wall, every corner calls only you

The garden looks for those hands

Who used to touch it’s grass and sit on the land

 

We can’t see you, hug you on phone

Please please come back home

We promise we won’t feed you again those oats

And all your favourite delicacies will be on your plate

 

I will tell you your ‘little ones’ mischieves

Sharing it with you will give me some relief

You will cherish to know how naughty they are

They hear your stories through us

Watch your videos and wipe my tears

But wonder where you are

 

Sometimes they look up the sky and smile

Then I know you were here all this while

Showering your blessings on us

I know you also miss your ‘little ones’

 

Every night I try to find you in stars

But I can’t find you in the Moon or even Mars

They are only bright and light

But you are our hearts delight

 

I will tell you how much we miss you

You went away so so far

No one can take us there

Tell me if there is any wonder plane, shuttle or car?

 

I will apologize to you for hurting you

For those injections and pills I gave you

For all the times I didn’t listen to you

And most of all for not been able to save you

 

I will tell you in how much guilt I’m living in

I write, I laugh, I travel just to forget everything

But back home it’s still the same

Every single thought takes me to the flash trail

 

 

Left only are the triggers of unforgettable memories

And a hope to meet you in dreams

We miss your laughter your humor

Your love your aura your simplicity your care

Pray you live happily and healthy now

Whenever you are

 

I will ask you if now you are at peace

Hope no more doctors and drips

I will ask you if you miss us

Or your new friends have replaced us

 

 

I will tell the angels what you love to eat

So that now you get some delicious feast

I will ask you to protect us from above

We always need your guidance and love

 

Wish Heaven has a phone call

I would have never let you hang up the call…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I entered kitchen for the first time that too with Papa! (A short story)

Like in most of the families, the female member is head of the kitchen and my family was no different. My mother always used to cook delicious meals for us. We were a family for four, my father, mother, younger brother and me. Being a pampered girl, I never bothered to learn cooking or even understand the basics of it. So, it was just my mother who was responsible for feeding us.

Unfortunately, once she slipped from the chair while cleaning and got her leg fractured. It was the time when the daughter inside me woke up and decided to help my mother to every possible extent. Mom was happy that I will learn something but she didn’t expect the unexpected.

One evening, me and my father decided to cook dinner for all of us. He suggested pyaz aloo sabzi and paratha (onion potato curry and Indian bread). My mother was more scared than happy imagining what was she going to eat that night and even more than that what mess we were going to do with her sparkling kitchen. How can I not mention here, she is a cleaning freak so our home was shining at any given point of time and we were cautious not to dirty it.

So with that fear in her mind, she asked us to sit back and just help her in salad dressing or setting the table but my father insisted on preparing a full fledged dinner. He was full of zeal to show his cooking talent which he had, kind of developed during the days of his outstation stay away from all of us when he was transferred to a nearby and sometimes even far off city.

Finally, me and my father were in the kitchen together for the first time. I helped him in chopping vegetables and kneading flour and he cooked the curry and then we both made parathas together with all possible maps of many countries.

Whistle 1, 2, 3…..and we switched off the gas. The dinner was ready. All four of us sat on the well decorated dining table with the new cutlery, reserved only for the guests, as it was a special occasion. After all, we cooked the meal for the first time.

Everyone had their first bite, then second, then third………finally all of us looked at each other and bursted into laughter. The curry seemed potatoes dipped in oil and bread was a crisp paper hard to even chew.

But, it was undoubtedly the best meal ever as it had all the ingredients of a super supper – love for each other, care for Mom, laughter, togetherness, teamwork, trust and most of all the joy of cooking together. I still remember the aroma and tasteless taste of that dinner and cherish it the most. The curd and papad oops paratha were the savoury. We clapped for our MasterChef!

 

This post is an entry for father’s day contest by kreativemommy