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Even Though I’m a Mom — 6 Things I Still Love To Do

By HERWriter Blogger
 
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Even Though I’m a Mom — 6 Things I Still Love Doing MonkeyBusiness Images/PhotoSpin

There is a misconception that once a woman becomes a mom, her life stops. Women talk in terms of their “pre-baby life” as if it is an entity that is dead, gone, and never coming back.

Sure, life changes once a baby comes into the picture. It changes a lot. It changes almost everything around you. It even changes you. Even so, you’re still the same you even after you become a mom.

Change can be scary, but it is also necessary as we go through seasons in our lives. Becoming a mother and being accountable for the health, wealth, and well-being of another human being can feel like an enormous responsibility.

It should feel enormous. It should cause seismic change in your life. It should make you re-think your priorities and overall life plan. But it doesn’t have to change the core of who you are.

With that in mind, I thought I would dig deep personally and create a list of things I still love to do, even though I’m a mom of four young children. These are things I loved in my footloose and fancy-free days when I had money, time and the inclination to have some fun.

Now that all three of those things are typically in short supply, I have had to make some shifts in how I do things, but I still do them. It’s different now, but I’m still me!

6 Things I Still Love To Do Even Though I’m a Mom

1) Read

Before having kids, I loved curling up with a good book on a rainy or cold Saturday afternoon and getting lost in the pages. I still love to do that.

Now though, I spend 15 minutes reading in the car when I get to carpool early. Or maybe I sneak in an hour at Starbucks between sports practices. I may not have the time to linger all day, but I still read. And I still love it!

2) Play tennis

I have always loved playing tennis. I think it’s the cute outfits, mixed with my crazy competitiveness. Over the years I have continued to play here and there.

After having kids, I made a concerted effort to join a team (at a gym with child care) and focus on the sport. I took something I loved to do, but was nonchalant about, and turned it into a sport I compete in year-round.

3) Hang out with girlfriends

Like most women, I had my girls to hang out with nearly every weekend when I was in my 20s. We danced and dished, and just had a blast together.

I still do that now, but we do it at our kids’ birthday parties, or while sitting in the play area at Chick-fil-A. I do make it a point to get out without my kids each month, to make sure I never lose that part of me that relates to women as a woman, and not just as a mom.

4) Have sex

Some people believe this joke is real. “Question: what diminishes a woman’s sex drive by 90 percent? Answer: Marriage.” However, I have found the opposite to be true.

After having kids, sex became more soulful and passionate, not just physical. If you liked it before having kids, you will love it after having kids (just give yourself a few months).

5) Travel

People said I would never travel again, after I had a baby. My husband and I have worked hard to prove those people wrong. Sure, it takes more time, energy and money and you might need a vacation from your vacation afterward, but you can travel with kids.

It is difficult, but so worthwhile. Getting to see the world through the eyes of a little person you are raising can make your heart burst with joy.

6) Bake

I loved to bake before I had kids. I would spend a Sunday afternoon, especially during the holidays, baking up a storm. And then I would spend the rest of the week trying to give my wares away, so I didn’t eat them all.

Now, I still bake, but I don’t have to worry about giving anything away. I have four little cookie monsters that will gobble up anything I pull out of the oven (as long as it doesn’t have broccoli in it).

While your list of things that you still love doing even though you’re a mom will be different, it’s important that you still have those things. If mommy life has gotten you so far off track that you’ve forgotten what you used to love to do, make some time to remember it.

You’re worth it. You’re still you, even though you’re a mom. I’m guessing you’re even a better version of you because you are a mom.

Edited by Jody Smith

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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