Spit-up On My Shoulder

Check out this list of 92 (yes, 92!) ways for moms to save their sanity. The author is Carrie Todd, a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in therapy for new moms. Her office is in Benicia, California.

Carrie also has a newsletter for moms called Motherhood Muse. Go to this link to sign up for a free subscription.

Here are some of my favorites from the 92 tips:

21. Bathroom time – When you have a baby, you are vigilant about her all the time. You take her in the bathroom with you while you shower. The bathroom door is always open and privacy is a thing of the past. I want to suggest that you teach your kids early on that your time in the bathroom belongs to you. This is not to protect your modesty, but to protect your sanity. This does not mean that you should ignore problems or be completely unavailable, but it does mean that you might get 10 minutes to yourself without being interrupted for snack requests and announcements about the letter of the day.

76. Be honest about your feelings – What is really going on inside your heart and head? Are you living the best life you can? Are you happy? What needs to change? Take time to check-in with yourself and figure out how you feel. Without taking the time to do this we are all in danger of becoming a little “Stepford Wife-ish.” That is to say we may all become robot mamas who continue to say that everything is “fine” when things are most definitely not fine. Stay connected to how you feel. It informs you. If you are angry most of the time, or sad, or numb, it is a clue that something needs to change. Use your emotions to guide you (but not rule you.) When emotion and intellect are used together you become wise.

Enjoy the list and stay sane.