This post is sponsored by ACER | An Electronics Company
I’ll never forget the conversation I had with a dear friend a few weeks after my first doctor’s appointment discussing postpartum depression several months after having Alfie. She was one of the only people I had opened up to about my personal anxieties in motherhood at that point, and like a good friend, she offered a kind and gentle perspective that made me feel less alone. We chatted about how things felt so raw and real, and gave one another support and ideas on how regain a bit of ourselves again. I continued with doctor’s appointments and some counseling, but also started doing things differently at home by taking better care of myself. With all the energy I was putting into mothering, I somehow forgot (and simply neglected) the importance of self-care and how that could spill over into me caring for my family. A hot shower for me will help my kids? It sounds strange now, but honestly that didn’t make sense at the time. Do morning stretches or exercise when I have loads of laundry and am nursing around the clock…when? When you’re in a dark place it’s hard to rationalize with even the simplest of thoughts.
I remember being overwhelmed and embarrassed to say so, but bless that friend who encouraged me to do something for myself. She recommended yoga classes online so I could do them in the comfort of our home, and I have been doing them ever since, going on almost two years now. Have you ever done a class with Adriene? She’s basically my best friend whom I’ve never met. Nerd alert. Like most people, I prefer getting in a good stretch in the morning or evening when kids aren’t crawling all over me, but in reality they usually are in the same room when I get my routine in which is usually no more than 30 minutes. Like so many other things in motherhood, I’ve tossed out the idea that I have to do certain things alone and am learning to find ways to include the kids when I want to get something done.
As you well know, we have very little screen time in our home, if any, but when we do, I am really intentional about how we use it together. The kids seriously love it when we do yoga, Stella especially, and I think it’s really sweet how jazzed up they get for it.
I’ve always used a portable laptop for this because the videos are on YouTube, and recently have been using this Spin 7 by Acer which we’ve all come to really love and enjoy. I partnered with this company specifically because this kind of technology actually stands up to the rigors of parenthood without sacrificing design and performance. Being a parent is hard and having children is a challenge, this we know, but I appreciate that this laptop can handle busy and messy while holding up as our family computer and I am happy to share how and why we love it with you.
Usually we’ll lay out our soft mats and the boys usually end up watching me for direction. Alfie cracks me up with his downward dog. It’s so important for me to show them through imitation how I am caring for myself while still taking care of their needs at home. It’s an important life lesson that I hope they take with them for always.
Yoga is also a wonderful way to restore positive, healthy energy when we are all really revved up, out of sorts, or before quiet times like naps or bedtime. Lighting a candle or diffusing calming oils during this time helps set the tone, which I do on occasion. Small kids are all about mimicking and learning from our behavior, and I am leaning more and more to let the kids do things with me that can come both empowering and teachable moments. Here are a few other empowering ways I incorporate technology throughout our day together at home:
- Pinterest for recipes in the kitchen. Stella loves helping me meal plan on the weekends and she thinks it’s really fun to pick out recipes.
- Listening to Spotify throughout the day. The kids and I are bug music fans and I have a Waldorf playlist that plays many of the same songs we sing at school together. Playing soft music is another way we calm things down around here if we need it.
- For a quiet time show. I love showing them classics like Little Bear or The Magic School Bus in our bed for quiet time together.
While being intentional with technology is important to our family, we also value the many ways it can comfort us throughout the day together. Yoga online is just one of those ways and I am grateful to companies like Acer who make quality products like the Spin 7 that we have so our family of five can connect in ways that are healthy and inspiring. If you haven’t done a class with Adriene yet, try it out! She is so down to earth and really informative without being over the top. I always learn something new in her classes and am so thankful my friend shared them with me, so I get to share them with you all!
This post was sponsored by ACER and all opinions, words, and photos are my own. I thank you dear reader for supporting the brands that help support this space. Because of my partnerships, I am able to make, write, and share with you! Check out Acer’s great product line-up at Acer.com/KeepAsking.
Kaitlin - I was so excited to see Adriene’s face as I was scrolling down your post today. I was fortunate enough to attend her retreat in Nicaragua a few weeks ago and was so delighted to learn that she is every bit as kind and wonderful in person as she is in her videos! We are all in good hands with her.
Your post also reminds me of one I read this week on Hello Glow about how to mother ourselves. No one else is going to make sure we’re cared for, except ourselves. (Which is a sneaky thing about adulthood that I don’t think we’re ever told about.)
admin - Kaitlin, you lucky duck! What an amazing experience that must have been. I love how authentic she is in her videos. And you’re so right…no one talks about the importance of self-care after having babies! It’s common sense, yes, but I wish there was more support out there to encourage it. Thanks for sharing, dearest! x Amanda
Alisa - I used to do yoga as a teenager but then never fully returned to it as an adult. Last summer when my 3rd baby was about 6 months old post partum depression hit hard. I was able to get a lot of talking help and cognitive behavioural therapy but I still feel like my biggest life saver was starting yoga again! And with Adriene! It continues to be my life blood right now. Long before I started practicing regularly again though my other kids started doing cosmic kids yoga! They love it and it has helped create a household of yoga lovers in our house!
admin - Alisa, thanks for the recommendation for Cosmic Kids Yoga! I have tired it several times with Stella and she really loves it. x Amanda
Taylor - This hits home for me! I feel like a different person when I spend even a few minutes in the morning doing some yoga and stretching. I will definitely be checking out Adrienne’s classes! Thank you for being so open and honest. I’ve just recently starting reading your blog and can relate on so many levels. I have a 1 year old daughter and have struggled big time with a lot of these issues. Self-care is starting to become a top priority now, I just wish I wouldn’t have waited to long to realize how necessary it is 🙂
admin - Taylor, isn’t it amazing how much a little stretching can do for our day? Self-care is so hard and I wish is wasn’t. Maybe us mamas have too much on our plates? I wonder this from time to time. x Amanda
Conny - Nice pictures of you and your kids doing yoga! Makes me smile….
Chelsea - Oh, I loved reading this for so many reasons. You have such a way with words, and I enjoy following your journey and insights so much. We live such different lives, (almost 30 myself, with no children… still on the fence about the whole motherhood thing), but yet, I still feel a connection with your “old soul” mentality. You have a way with words that is refreshing and honest, making it a treat to read… and also giving me so many things to ponder when thinking about starting a family some day. So thanks for that! Also, I love Adriene. I’m one of those lucky ones who lives in Austin, and am always trying to catch as many of her classes as I can… but love her online classes for when she’s on the road! She’s just as kind and down to earth as you’d imagine she’d be in person. 🙂
admin - Chelsea, dearest fellow old soul…thank you for popping in and saying hello! Adriene so wonderful, and I am forever thankful for my friend who introduced her to me. You lucky duck living so close! x Amanda