Welcome to Gaia! ::

If you look in my signature, you can see that I have two children a little over a year apart.

What do you do to recharge when you feel burnt out?

Sleep is, of course, important.. but I'm thinking small things to get you through the day or week or something.

And any good ideas that can help break up the monotony of the day or week? (What do you do?) I admit that I feel pretty shut-in (I plan to try and go to a play group - plan to ask our paediatrician since he'd recommended the idea to us before, but I'd turned it down due to my not speaking the language very well... now, I think I'm good enough that I could enjoy it and not feel completely verbally excluded).

Anyway, thanks for reading and an advance 'thank you' to anyone who contributes to the thread!

Like moosiklady said hire a sitter... My mom likes to help when I feel burnt out now that im working and taking care of a 7 week old who like to fuss for random reasons.

My husband helps to by taking care of her and letting me take a nice long nap ! Or like he did last weekend take me and the baby to a place which was good for her and exciting for me!

*huggle*

Wow... I can't tell you how often I feel like I just need a break from being a Mommy. It's rough 'cause it's 24/7 no sick days, no vacation, and not even a monitary paycheck... though there are other "paychecks" like hearing my girls say "I love you" or when I get big hugs. 4laugh
I tell you though... It was easier for me working as a cashieer in a grocery store than being a stay-at-home mommy, but there are definetly reasons that I don't go back to that.

As has already been mentioned a break from the kids is a wonderful thing! I'm lucky in that I have my father-in-law living just down the street and my Mom about 20 minutes away by car. I like to go out to my mom's and let her spoil the grandchildren. Hubby's Dad is also pretty good with the girls, but I worry a little more about leaving them with him seeing as how there are a few issues that we disagree on. rolleyes
I've also been blessed with a sweet, sweet hubby who will take the girls for a bit after work if he can see that I've had a particularly long/rough day.

I like to keep up on my hobbies, just sit down and do something that I enjoy doing... Things that I can usually do with the girls still around and awake like playing on Gaia, crocheting, reading a book (though I have to be willing to put it down should the need arise).

A lot of times I'll stay up after I've put them to bed just to have a little quiet me time. A soak in the tub after they're in bed is a wonderful thing! I also have recently picked up the hobby of chainmaille jewelery and I can't really do this when El's awake so I'll work on that sometimes for a bit after she's in bed.

And even when I don't have a chance to do a "me thing" if I'm having a particularly rough day I ingulge myself with some chocolate or something... redface

I finally got my me time when I stopped nursing the twins just before they turned 3. I went off for a long weekend with a friend and attended ATS dance workshops and shows for 3 days. It was the best mini vacation ever!!

Comedienne Margaret Cho took a Suhaila Salimpour dance course and said the best way she unwinds at home is to take an hour a day for herself, turn on the music and dance. It's a workout and music therapy! I recommend any type of dancing you prefer, I just happen to be into middle eastern dancing.