I recently reflected on a few benefits of motherhood that took me by surprise, and as I was brainstorming I realized that there are actually tons of benefits that come along with being a mommy. And I'm not just talking ooey gooey sentimental stuff either. I'm talking practical, useful perks that we can turn to in a multitude of situations. Here are five more perks of motherhood that I know I've been enjoying!
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1. Blame the baby! This probably sounds bad, but when you have a young baby, you pretty much always have an excuse to miss events and skip out of things early. As a plus, the excuse is almost always at least half legitimate. You may not want to attend your great-aunt's 90th birthday party two hours away, but you may also not be able to find a babysitter that can watch your child for that long or you just might have to leave early because the baby is getting cranky. Boredom averted.
2. You more easily find girl time! Whether it's playdates or girls' night out, contrary to what you may have thought pre-baby, you actually may have more opportunity to hang out with your girlfriends once you have a kiddo. This is especially true when your friends also have children, but even your single BFF will want to spend some time getting to know your baby or whisk you off for a spa day when you need a break from mommyhood.
3. Not into cooking tonight? Hello, Takeout! You can't help that the baby was fussy and super-clingy all day. You just didn't have time to cook. And since you and your spouse are inevitably still going to be hungry come dinner time, you're completely justified in having your favorite Chinese food restaurant's number on speed dial. One less item on your to-do list.
4. Nap time is you time, all during the day. Nap time isn't just for old people and babies. It's always acceptable for a new mom to snooze while her baby's asleep. In fact, most people will actually consider you smart for taking advantage of the quiet time. At most other points in your life this type of behavior might result in you being called lazy–enjoy it now!
5. You can play like a kid with your kid! Unless you have kids, it's just not acceptable for you to spend hours playing with Legos and coloring. Live it up and enjoy as much carefree playtime with your little ones as you can. Everyone will think you're a great mom for spending so much quality time with them and you'll have lots of fun–but you'll know deep down that you actually enjoy putting together that Lego Legends of Chima set.
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