Today, one of my wonderful, delightfully spirited children threw one of those face-down, kicking-and-screaming, blow the ears off anyone who walks by tantrums. In public. One of those tantrums that my pre-child self swore my children would never throw. Especially not in public. And yet there I was, in the entryway of the school, wondering why no one has asked me to sit on the PTA.
Some days are harder than others. That’s just a fact of motherhood. Some days, there is no winning, no matter how hard you try.
So what do you do, on those days when you’re sure that you’re about to see yourself show up on one of the viral Facebook videos, where all the perfect parents condemn you for carrying your kid out of the building surfboard-style, while your other child runs behind collecting the falling mittens and boots?
You get this day, and all of the kicking and screaming, out of your system. First, you power through the day, and you get those sweet angels tucked safely into their beds, and then you suck all of the negativity out of your life, in the hopes that tomorrow will be better. You layer on a big old scoop of your favourite self care.
One of my favourite ways to detox after a day like today, is to purify my skin, and my absolute favourite way to do that is with the Beauty From Bees Dead Sea Mud Mask. Because, along with being the picture-perfect mask for selfies, it is hands-down the best mask I have ever tried (and I have tried more masks than is probably recommended, and earned myself a chemical burn or three along the way…)
Why do I love it so much? Because, unlike my children’s emotional patterns, it’s simple. One ingredient, with no fillers or funky stuff, and I don’t need to set a timer, balance precariously so I don’t drip any on the floor, or read the directions fourteen times to understand what I’m about to take part in.
Open jar, scoop muck, slather on face, and wait until it’s dry. It really is that simple. In the meantime, you’ve got free hands for scrolling the ‘gram, sipping that wine, or reading that book that you’ve always wanted to read. Whatever is going to take your mind off of the chaos that is your life, and just let you enjoy the gentle tingle that is the nastiness being sucked out of your pores. When it feels dry and cracky, just rinse it off. Let the natural grittiness work it’s exfoliating magic, and enjoy the soft, smooth, rejuvenated feeling of your skin.
And then get some rest, because there’s no guarantee that the same tantrum won’t happen again tomorrow. Or the day after that.
Sometimes, taking care of your hive starts with taking care of yourself.
Kelsey Kitt is a work-at-home-mom of three in northern Alberta. When she’s not chasing kids around, she is also a freelance copywriter, wine lover, social media manager, and Parental Guidance content creator. You can follow her and all her family’s adventures on Instagram at @mommydoesntlie.