I have been noticing that for as long as I can remember, I have felt guilty for "stealing" time away from my family so I can exercise, or take a nap, or do something fun that I enjoy or will make me feel good. I am always feeling rushed and like I am doing something wrong if I am not at home or doing my motherly chores. It's really a problem because I am catching myself putting everything else in front of exercising again this week. I just noticed this about myself after all of these years and it's kind of an epiphany and I now need to figure out how to overcome this because I feel so guilty for doing things for me. I thought I was being lazy which was why I wasn't exercising but when I thought about it I actually realized that I am not lazy, just feeling like I am taking my time from my family who seems to need me more and more. Does anyone else feel like this? I mean my kids are old enough to care for themselves as they are 15 and 17, so I think it's time that I start accepting that and doing for me. Any suggestions?

I am right there with you! I'm fortunate that my husband does a lot of the laundry on the weekends, but now that I'm homeschooling our four boys, not to mention doing everything else I did before I started homeschooling-I'm tired.

I recently created a chores list for my boys. They-the boys-range in age from 5 to 9, and I know that my 8 siblings and I were doing house work by at least 7. Now my boys have to put their laundry away (I help my 5 year old), feed & water the dog, clean the dog poop, help load and unload the dishwasher, set the table, clear the table, take out the trash, pick up their own toys (if I do, they lose them for a week), and so on! I should have been making them do it before, but I was of the mind that it would get done faster if I just did it myself.

I've also decided that I need to get up earlier than they do and get my workout done-if not-than forget it. I also told my husband (who travels a lot with our government), that I need to have at least 15 minutes a day just for me, and a few hours on the weekend-even if it's just up in our room listening to a cd and/or reading a book (a passion that I rarely get to enjoy these mothering years.

Okay, sorry for the novel.

Hi Stacey! I think a lot of us moms, including me, feel this way. It is just wrong! When i do it, i try to remind myself that if i don't take care of me, then i can't take care of them. Then that gives me "permission" to do for myself. Even though, we are worth enough by ourselves to do it anyway, but our minds are not geared that way.

Jamie: you've got the right idea with scheduling the chores and time for yourself. We have just got to speak up and do it. We deserve it.

This week I dedicated to me and it was wonderful! I have lost a pound, and I have been making it fun while doing it.