I love Mother’s Day. It makes me feel special. But after the celebrations I have a secret wish to hide away.
Breakfast in bed, and flowers, is the best way to wake up on Mother’s Day, relishing the love and hugs and excitement bubbling in your children’s voices as they watch you unwrap the gift they picked just for you.
I wouldn’t change that for the world.
But once breakfast is done and the excitement settles, what I really really dream of, is to stay in bed, grab a book and listen to the silence.
I imagine forgetting for one day the laundry, the mess, the SOCKS, organising lunch or dinner, refereeing squabbles, and especially the guilt of not living up to great, or even just basic, parenting standards.
I want to curl up and pretend that I am the child with not a care in the world, not one thing I need to do on that day as a mother.
And of course, I feel guilty. Again. That I should indulge in such thoughts of escaping the responsibilities of motherhood for a little while, but don’t judge me. In a couple of hours, I will be missing my children’s voices, their funny faces. I will be pacing around the house waiting for them to return, thinking about movies to watch together or their favourite cookies to surprise them with.
If you feel like escaping sometimes, don’t feel bad. You are not alone. Motherhood is wonderful, without a doubt. But it can be stressful and overwhelming and especially after the couple of years we have been through, the “mummy burnout” is in fact a reality.
One gift you can ask for, on this special day when you are showered with love, is to be reminded often, and every day, that you are not just a mother. You are so much more.
Happy Mother’s Day!
