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I came upon the following quote tonight. It truly blessed me and I was surprised when I saw the source. It is certainly as relevant today as when it was written:
If mothers could learn to do for themselves what they do for their children…, we should have happier households. Let the mother go out to play! If she would only have courage to let everything go when life becomes too tense, and just take a day, or half a day, out in the fields, or with a favourite book, or in a picture gallery looking long and well at just two or three pictures, or in bed, without the children, life would go on far more happily for both children and parents.
~Charlotte Mason, Volume 3, page 33 of The Original Homeschooling Series.
I don’t know about you, but I feel guilty about anything and everything I do for myself, as if it is unnecessary and purely selfish. As mothers, we need to recharge our batteries sometimes; otherwise it’s easy to become cranky and resentful, and that doesn’t benefit anyone. I’m blessed to have a group of church sisters who love LNOs (ladies’ nights out), whether planned or impromptu. It’s great to have friends you can call and say, “Help! I really need a night out. Can we meet for supper?”
I really loved this encouraging quote for moms.
Charlotte Mason really was the best. What a great quote.
December 5th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Hi Dawn,
In September I read a book of fiction for the first time in a while. It was not a very good book but it was engaging, the type that I had to know what happened next. I read it in under 48 hours. I felt very guilty for laying on the couch and staying up late reading the book.
Then the absurdity of that thought hit me hard. I never used to be like that. I used to say I’d never be so busy to not actually enjoy myself. I used to say I’d not be a ’slave to my children’. Yet was that what I have become?
Somewhere along the line, after becoming a mother specifically, I have become way TOO serious. I have overly focused on my children to be honest. Not only giving up my career and money to raise them but also unlike 99% of the kids in this country, I homeschool them. So I don’t even get ‘that time off’ when the kids are usually in school.
And I have this house and these couches and you know what, I rarely sit in them other than when homeschooling my kids.
I have a TV in the living room that I never, ever watch. I have whole rooms here that I don’t step into and use.
Since September I have been making a concerted effort to make time for myself and spend it doing something other than reading email and blogging. I’m doing more things to nourish myself that put me in a better mindset to then mother and homeschool my children.
When our fall activities tapered off in the end of November it was fantastic. And for the month of December we have only Cub Scouts (4x month) and Youth Group (2x month). It is fan-tab-u-lous to have free days and spare time. And my kids are happier too!
I am reading more than ever, just for me! I have been focusing on photography—of things other than my kids. I’ve been teaching myself to draw and I’ve been making art more for me than for other people (I used to do a lot of mail art swapping).
I feel less pressured. The house is less cluttered as I have time to put stuff away. And cleaning it is easier due to there being less clutter.
As I prepare to line up our outside committments for January and on, I am going to be very mindful of paring down even further.
I never made it through all of Charlotte Mason’s original writings. I am heavily influenced by the CM methods in our homeschool and just loved that quote you shared.
I’ve never been to your blog before, glad I stopped by after you left me a comment on my blog.
I want to say also about your design thank you for the white background and the less cluttery look to it. Some blogs give me an instant headache, and the ones with very dark backgrounds or busy patterns behind the writing or even on the sides are so hard to look at.
(I only picked a black background for my art blog since the art itself looks good on it.)
Have a great day!
December 6th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Christine:
I think we’re in the same boat: “I have a TV in the living room that I never, ever watch. I have whole rooms here that I don’t step into and use.” This quote describes me, too.
I recently listened to Pride and Prejudice on CD. Those CDs followed me everywhere: I’d play them in the car, in the kitchen while cooking, in the bathroom while getting ready in the morning. I realized quite often that I was dragging out the cooking or getting ready so I could hear just a little more. I even felt guilty about that.
December 6th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Thanks for sharing this quote, Dawn. That’s so important and yet, so easily forgotten. I need to post it somewhere I can be reminded on a regular basis.
December 9th, 2007 at 12:36 am
I can’t say as I have ever thought of how good it would be to treat myself like I treat my kids - to live their life. Yes, I think my life would be a lot cheerier - I know I’d certainly get a lot more sleep! But, the guilt is overwhelming at times - I feel guilty doing anything for myself, but even more guilty when it involves my husband taking over MY duties so I can have some me time. It can’t be right to feel this way, but how does a woman go about ridding herself of the guilt. It seems inexecutable.
-Andrea
December 9th, 2007 at 3:58 pm