When you have a child, you no longer have the luxury of caring solely for yourself. Whether your child is a toddler or a teenager, it can be hard to make time to care for yourself. We talked with 5 moms about how they carve a little time out for themselves—because after all, self-care isn’t selfish! It’s easier to take care of others when you yourself are taken care of too.

Kendall Rayburn and her sons.

Kendall Rayburn, Blogger

“I love to have self-care time each night after putting the kiddos to bed. Whether it’s soaking in the tub while reading a few chapters in a book, having some Netflix time, or simply making a hot cup of coffee or tea that I can enjoy in silence (silence truly is golden). I also love painting my nails a new color each week – I look forward to that at-home spa time and love the result!”

Christa Singleton and her daughter and husband.

Christa Singleton, leader of the Curvy Kili Crew

“I’ve been lucky enough to find a mom BFF whose son is the same age as my daughter. Once or twice a week, after the kids are in bed and our partners are holding down the fort, we get together for coffee and decompress.  Sometimes we bake or organize our craft rooms, other times we just relax in the front of the television, glad to be watching something other than Paw Patrol. My mom friend helps keep me sane and it’s nice to be able to share the joys and struggles of raising a child with someone who’s going through the same thing!”

Jennifer Conner and her two teenage daughters.

Jennifer Conner, Dia Domino

“Here are some things I do to practice self-care with two teenage daughters:
  • Enjoy snuggle time with my new puppy, Riley.
  • Connect with my siblings—experiencing the fun and reliving memories from childhood gives me hope that one day my daughters will look forward to seeing each other.
  • Go to a concert with a great friend. Taking a roadtrip to see U2 or Keith Urban is a lot of fun and can make you feel like a kid again.
  • Last but not least, I celebrate myself. It’s easy as a mom to focus on your family and let your own special days go by without ceremony. Even if it’s just a matter of eating cake to celebrate your birthday, don’t turn it down. You’ll go to bed happy and with a full heart.”
Shannon Macpherson and her son.

Shannon MacPherson, Dia&Co Customer Experience Training Lead

“Every other Saturday, my husband takes the baby to the park while I go get a coffee and head to the nail salon. Not only is it nice to just have some free time out of the house, but I get the benefit of feeling like I look my best! Changing a dirty diaper isn’t fun, but if you have your nails done, it’s not so bad!”
 
Kayla Klein and her daughter.

Kayla Klein, Blogger & Photographer

“When I was pregnant, I made a promise to myself to never feel guilty for wanting to be a little selfish once in a while. Here are the ways I practice self-care: 

  • Take a nice bath once I’ve put the baby down and pick out my outfit for the next day.
  • Get up early and get ready—every single day. It helps me start the day with confidence and I need that.
  • Take care of my skin! This is a recent development of mine. Your skin doesn’t just stay youthful forever?
  • Go out dancing! Once a month, I have a girls’ night out with my friends and it makes me feel infinite.”
Bisa Myles, member of the Curvy Kili Crew
“It took me a long time to learn self-care. It wasn’t until after I was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 that I started to practice it on a regular basis. I’ve arranged my schedule with my employer to have every other Monday off. I’ve designated that day as a ‘me’ day, at least during my usual work hours. On this day I see my therapist and go to lunch by myself. Sometimes I workout, hike or go see a movie.”

How do you practice self-care? Do you have a scoop of ice cream and watch a late night talk show? Do you wake up early to have some quiet moments alone in the house? Tell us on social @diaandco.