When we were having kids I hoped I’d eventually have a daughter. I worried that a son wouldn’t want to bake with me (not true) and that I wouldn’t have as much in common with a son that I would have with a daughter (also not true). Of all the things I’ve done with my kids the only thing I’ve done with my daughter but not my sons is a mani/pedi.
When my daughter was little I looked forward to the day she’d be old enough to go with me to get our nails. I pictured girl talk over Starbucks while we had our nails painted but I talk to my kids A LOT so it’s not like we have the built up conversation I do when I go with a girlfriend. I feel pressure make moments like this memorable but our best bonding moments have never been at the nail salon. The actual experience usually doesn’t match the expectation of what these moments are supposed to look like.
I’ve realized that part of what we love about getting a pedicure is to relax & enjoy some guilt free scree time. I limit the amount of time I let my kids spend on screens so my daughter loves getting a little extra time & between my job, husband, & kids it’s hard to feel like it’s okay to spend time reading blog posts, scrolling Facebook & Instagram,or reading a good book. I feel pressure to make the best use of my time in a day whether that is by being super productive or making sure to be fully present when I spend time with my husband & kids. Allowing myself time to “clock out” from being the perfect employee, mom, or wife can actually make me better at all three. It may not look the way I thought it should but I still love getting our nails done together. When I take the pressure off myself to be make it perfect the experience becomes so much more enjoyable.
Eat Like A Kid Again 