When I think of Mother’s Day, I think of little girls, handmade cards, and laundry. Yes, laundry. On Mother’s Day, our girls would get up early to prepare breakfast in bed for me. I’d pretend to not hear them clanging around the kitchen and, of course, I’d appear to be sleeping when they entered the bedroom to surprise me with a tray of lovingly prepared breakfast goodies. The girls would watch, their big blue eyes sparkling with anticipation, as I poured the syrup and tasted the first bites of cold pancakes and drank the lukewarm milk (probably poured an hour earlier when they began the process). Mmmmm! After a bite or two, I’d invite them to grab a fork and join me. We’d enjoy breakfast in bed together, eating and dropping syrupy pancake crumbs and juicy berries. Savoring the moment more than the food, I’d overlook a cup of spilled milk (or coffee!) on the comforter. I’d open their precious handmade cards and relish in the fact that I was blessed with the opportunity to raise these two small humans. I’d get a little misty and try to articulate to them the overwhelming privilege of being their mom and rattle on about joy and love and responsibility and, well, you get the picture. Apparently my teary tribute was their cue to take the tray back to the kitchen and “help” their Dad clean up and my cue to strip the bed and get out the Shout. Pillow cases sticky with maple syrup, raspberry-stained sheets, coffee-colored comforters…that’s what my Mother’s Day memories are made of.
When I first became a mom 19 years ago, I had no idea the level of energy parenting would require or the immeasurable joy it would bring. It’s easy to embrace the concept of cuddling a baby or caring for a toddler or even teaching life lessons to a teen. What I didn’t anticipate was how difficult it could be to find time to care for myself when it felt like all my energy and resources went into raising babies. When our girls were toddlers, I remember asking a friend how she found time to work out and eat well when she had four(!) kids to care for. Her simple response has stuck with me all these years. “Working out every day is a gift I give to myself and to my family.” she explained, “I’m worth it and I’m a better wife and mother for it.” Her theory made sense. By honoring herself and making a healthy lifestyle a priority, she was able to be a better, more balanced, more patient mom. She not only modeled healthy behavior to her kids, she instilled these self-care values in them.
While we often associate Mother’s Day with receiving gifts from our kids, this year let’s give a gift to ourselves. Mothering is hard work. Taking care of ourselves might just be one of the best gifts we can give to our families. Everybody benefits from a healthy, happy, balanced mom.
A Gift For You:
Make physical activity a personal priority.
- Don’t fit it in if you have the time. Make time.
- Schedule it in your daily calendar just like you would a doctor’s appointment.
Keep it fun!
- The treadmill getting you down? Try yoga or take a hike outside.
- Find support from other moms. Motivate each other to stay active.
Don’t use your kids as an excuse.
- Include them. You’ll model healthy behaviors from day one.
- Little ones? Invest in a jogging stroller.
- Older kids? Ask them about fitness technology. They’re sure to have an app for that!
Eat to fuel your strong body.
- Mothering takes energy and stamina.
- Starting today, add more fruits, veggies, and whole grains to your family meals.
Use your resources.
- Check out local farmer’s markets for fresh produce, meats, eggs, and breads.
- Use the NuVal® Nutritional Scoring System to help select more nutritious groceries.
- Find recipe ideas on the BLEND Pinterest page or past blogs.
Love yourself!
- Know it is ok to make wellness a priority in your life.
- Your kids will benefit. You will benefit.
- You are worth it!
As always, I want to thank you for sharing your valuable time with me. I appreciate you reading “Peek Into Kelly’s Kitchen.” No matter how old your kids are, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day filled with happiness, breakfast in bed, and plenty of laundry.
Warm Regards,
Kelly
This is a guest post by Kelly Radi. Passionate about food and nutrition, Kelly is a freelance writer, NuVal expert, former BLEND employee, and current BLEND advocate. A wife and mother of 2 teenagers, Kelly lives in Sartell where she is often spotted at Coborn’s scouring the shelves in search of the best NuVal scores. She enjoys cooking, playing tennis, and sitting down with a good book. She can be reached at radi.to.write@gmail.com.
The opinions expressed in this blog are the opinions of the writer and not the opinions of NuVal LLC, Coborn’s, Inc., BLEND, and the CentraCare Health Foundation.
