Mothers Need Naps, Too

Last Updated on February 28, 2024

For most of my life, I’ve been a high achiever. I’ve made goals and stuck to them. Things have not always worked out as I planned, but I don’t recall anyone accusing me of being lazy.

Motherhood has thrown me for a loop, though. I’ve had some health issues during the last few years that have slowed me down. While I’m making an effort to remedy some of the chronic pain (taking some medications and eliminating gluten from my diet), I still struggle with exhaustion. It seems as if every day I have tons of plans and my “to do” list overflows, yet my body refuses to comply.

The other day I was outside with the girls and decided to pull weeds. There were plenty to choose from, so I started in on a large patch and kept going. After about an hour, I felt achy and had experienced a few dizzy spells, but I wanted to finished that section of the yard. Just as I’d grabbed a big hunk of weeds, my husband came up behind me and told me to stop. “You’re going to wear yourself out,” he said.

My first reaction was to bristle and tell him he was ruining my fun, even though it really wasn’t that enjoyable. My second reaction was to take a breath and thank God my husband cares more for my well-being than he does about the yard.

I put up my gloves and went inside to clean up. By the time I’d finished changing clothes, I realized he’d been right and that I should have stopped long before he told me to. I was left limping and so exhausted I fell face-first into bed as soon as the kids were down. As I struggled to find a position that felt comfortable, since my muscles had started aching again, I reflected that I need to give myself grace. I can’t push myself at the same pace I used to go.

Getting jobs done around the house and doing things for people outside my home cannot take precedence over caring for my family and spending time with them.

That means that during the day, even though I have things I want to do, or friends I’d like to see, I sometimes have to rest if I want to have anything left for the ones I love the most. On that note, I’ve decided to take a nap. Happy resting, dear friends.

Jennifer Dyer

Jennifer Dyer has an M.S. in Communications Disorders, which served her well in her professional career as a speech-language pathologist. Never did she imagine that her education and career were God’s way of preparing her to be a mom to her own daughter with autism. Today, she enjoys reaching out to other families who face similar diagnoses. As a cancer survivor, carpet-cleaning veteran, and originator of the “Messy House Ministry,” Jennifer feels blessed to share joy, peace, and humor with others facing life’s challenges. She is mom to two beautiful daughters and is thankful to be raising them, serving other families with unique needs, and using her gift of writing and speaking to minister to others. Jennifer is also the author of a youth fiction book series and is trusting God with His timing on publication. Jennifer has been a mom for 11 years. She and Brandon have been married for 13 years.

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