The Middle of the Night

I love being up in the middle of the night. The house is very quiet and I can write or ponder the events of the day. I peek in to check on the children every once in a while and watch their angelic faces in repose. It is the best time of the day for me.

Of course, staying up until the wee hours does have its drawbacks. I am sometimes very tired the next day, and a little irritable until I've had my morning coffe. The benefits make it worthwhile, though. This is my own, personal "me" time.

Since I've had children, I don't get away from the house much, not by myself anyway. I don't have girls' night out or go on dates with my husband very often. I don't have hobbies that I do alone (other than going to the gym). I'm not a big shopper. I do enjoy having quiet time alone, though, and this is how I get it.

Having time alone allows me to center myself. It lets me unwind and put everything into perspective. When I was younger I would go to the beach and sit on the cliffs overlooking the ocean or go hiking by myself. These things are now family activities, which is fine, but I feel distressed somehow if I don't get a little bit of time to myself each week.

Being a mom is all about compromise. It's about giving of ourselves and being available for our children. But we need to remember ourselves too. We need to remind ourselves that to be the best moms we can be, we have to find that little bit of "me" time.