The plan was to watch the first two minutes of “Desperate Housewives.” It’s enough time to confirm my instincts that this is the latest hyped up prime time soap that lacks the substance and quality writing of other respectable shows.

Then I saw it, and I was right, two minutes was enough time. I was hooked. This show celebrates women. It brings to the frontier the desperation and pressure housewives and mothers feel alike. It takes hard work to be a perfectionist, a trophy wife, a stay-at-home mom, and a single mom. What else do does it take? Loss of identity. Everything you do is for someone else. You take care of the needs of your children and husband while maintaining a false pretense to the world that everything is perfect, causing you to secretly suffer. All you want is a little piece of yourself back, and you can do it.

Just say “NO.” Teach your kids responsibility, and the sooner the better. Have them make their own bed, take the trash out, or fix their own snack. It teaches them to be self-sufficient and independent so don’t feel guilty.
Take a mini vacation. Hire a baby-sitter or let Dad be a househusband once a week for a few hours while you relax at the spa, go shopping, or just catch up on your sleep. This lets him bond with the kids and helps him appreciate your worth.

Make play dates with other mothers. This gives you a chance to socialize with actual adults while your kids have fun too. You just may discover you share similar frustrations about being a wife and mother, and soon enough you’ll have a great support system.

You’re probably thinking, it’s just not that easy, but try it. Take it one step at a time, and soon you’ll get into the rhythm of things. Remember, if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t truly take care of anyone else, so put yourself first, you deserve it.

by : Abbey Khan