The Momcation: Why You Should Book it Now!

The Momcation…a vacation, but for Moms only!

As a mom, we all get overwhelmed, burnt out, exhausted and downright defeated at times. Let’s face it, maybe on a daily basis if you are like me. With the abundance of tantrums, errands, cleaning, being needed for every little thing, it is no wonder that we feel like we have nothing left to give at the end of the day (or by lunch time on some days!) After a crazy summer of uprooting our family from Houston, TX to move to St. Louis with three kids under 2 years of age, I needed a break. Something, anything to get away from the packing, unpacking, and the day-to-day challenges that moving with tiny humans entails. Our world was and is so crazy, how would I ever carve out the time and not feel guilty to do something just for me?

Enter the Momcation

One of my best friends is a mom to a beautiful one-year-old girl and lives in Florida. Needless to say, we don’t get to see each other very often but talk almost daily. She is the person I vent to most about anything mom related and she just gets me. We had talked several times about taking a trip at some point to see each other but would that really happen? I mean, we both have babies and working husbands and jobs and every other excuse in the book. 

One day, as I was sitting in our temporary rental situation (not the most ideal place for 3 kids and 2 dogs, so I call it a situation at best) with three kids yelling at me, I texted my friend and said, “Let’s go to New York!” I looked up a flight and hotel and literally booked it the minute she gave me dates that worked for her. There would be no backing out. I have never done something so spontaneous in my life. It felt amazing!

Fast forward to our Momcation in NYC! We scheduled ourselves just enough to get out and see/do things, but not too much so that we could also wander and do whatever we’d like if we wanted. In those 3 nights and 4 days, we saw Broadway shows, the ballet, shopped on 5th Avenue, ate whatever we wanted, had “nail art” done and took both Pure Barre (how we met) and SoulCycle classes. 

I felt like me again. I was with a person who lets me be who I am. This was exactly what I needed at that moment and I think she did as well. I woke up the Monday morning of our departure feeling so grateful for this trip and experience but also recharged. Recharged not by sleep and rest, but by having a few days to be me. Not mom or wife, just me. I got to rejuvenate my batteries for working out again because I had been in such a slump. I got to go places and not be in a rush because someone needed me. I refilled my cup so that I could return to my family and pour into them from a full one. 

Letting the Guilt Go

Did I have some mom guilt over going? Yes. But that quickly washed away when I realized that this trip actually wasn’t just for me. This trip helped me to come home and see things in a clearer way. While I wouldn’t say that we felt rested after this trip, I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we felt rebooted! 

A momcation doesn’t have to be elaborate to be effective. But I do think it is important to get away, even just for one night, with your tribe. Whether that be one friend or five, make it a priority to do this for yourself, your friend(s) and your family. I am so grateful to have a friend who made this possible for me. We are planning on taking a momcation every year now! 

Where will your momcation take you?