As the summer season gets in full-swing, many families head to the beach. Whether it’s beach on a lake or on the ocean, the sun, sand and water make for wonderful days and happy memories. But when was the last time you went to the beach alone? When was the last time you took some time for yourself on a beach vacation to appreciate the rhythm of the waves?
As moms, we’re often all about everyone else in the family. Making sure sunscreen is on, snacks are packed and getting the little ones back home for a nap. Through all this care-taking, we’re having fun, too – but are we really making the effort to recharge? Really? Vacations, whether summer, fall, winter, or spring, are about us, too. And we need to find ways to make time for ourselves, even on family beach vacations.
It won’t take long
Stop laughing. You can make this happen! Yes, you’ll have to get buy-in from your partner and put aside any potential feelings of guilt, but you can.
First, you have to declare you need the solo time – and you don’t (necessarily) need a lot. An hour or two makes a world of difference. Whether it’s first thing in the morning, mid-day, or in the evening, tell your family that you will be taking that time to go to the beach by yourself – then do it! If that means getting there first and having hubby bring the kids, staying (or going back) during afternoon nap time, or going out after dinner (during bathtime), make the time.
Active – or not
How you use the time at the beach is up to you. You could sit and read a book without interruption, go for a run along the tide line, do some yoga, or just snooze. The point is being alone. Consider it your (albeit) temporary job to make sure that the waves go in and out.
Just don’t forget to put on some sunscreen!
Appreciation
For all moms do on an every day basis, we seem to do even more on vacation. It’s our regular day, multiplied. Making sure you take some time for yourself doesn’t just benefit you — it likely will also introduce a new element of appreciation for all that you do from your partner, and hopefully your kids, too.
Taking time for yourself on any vacation isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Mom’s need the recharge time as much as the family needs fun. Make sure you take that time, whether it’s at the beach, in the mountains or in the city.
Looking for a good beach book? Check out our pick of the top chick-lit beach bag books.
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