Courtney Burkholder

Calling all Moms! This article is just for you. First of all, I want to commend you on a few of your special talents: homework checking, hair braiding, spit-bath giving, and nose wiping. You’re not bad at flashcards, story-telling, or dinner-making either. You can double-knot a pair of sneakers, change a soggy diaper, and snip out itchy tags all at the same time. You’ve got talent, baby!

Now let’s forget about all that for a few minutes.

What’s your passion?

Don’t tell me how much you enjoy playing Candy Land.

Don’t try to sell me on how interesting you find the “Captain Underpants” series.

I’ll never believe you when you say that NASCAR driving through the carpool line is what you’ve always aspired to do.

Remember, I’m one of you!

Today, we’re going to forget about those special children and that precious husband and focus on YOU. I’m giving you special permission to be completely selfish for the next five minutes and focus on yourself.

As a mother, it is easy to put yourself on a back burner as you focus on the family. Family is so important. Our children are so important. We only have one chance to do it right, and so forth and so on.

There are a million reasons why we put the needs of the children and family above our own, and most of the time, we do it gladly and with a happy heart. But I also think it’s important to remember that aside from being a wife and mother, I’m still just me. And you’re still just you…with thoughts and feelings and interests that veer far, far away from the grocery store check-out line. And what’s wrong with that?

Are there some special interests in your life that you’ve been neglecting? Do you like to needlepoint or paint or read? Has it been years since you’ve attended a yoga or creative writing class? Do you enjoy singing and music and wistfully think of joining the church choir? It’s easy to let our passions fall by the wayside as we frantically race our children from one activity to the next.

After all, little Hailee could be the next Maria Sharipova! But don’t let your own mother’s hard work go to waste. Find time to do the things that you love. Find your passion - that aspect of your life that belongs only to you.

A little down-time, a little me-time, won’t stunt your children’s growth, I promise. It’s healthy to have those grown-up outlets that let’s you be you. So pick up that tennis racket. Sign up for a calligraphy class. Pull those tap shoes from the closet and sign up for a jazz class. Whatever your passion, whatever your interest, make time to embrace it. I guarantee your children and husband will only benefit from the balanced, new you.

Now it’s back to the carpool line!