In my country, I get two days off as holidays in a week. On those days, I have to do the entire week’s household chores. I wake up early in the morning as usual. After completing my prayers, I drink a glass of water. To keep myself energized for a long time, I eat dates and soaked almonds. Then, I put our dirty clothes in the washing machine for an early wash and drying.
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I start making breakfast for us. After making breakfast, if my children are still sleeping, I take some time for skincare and manicure-pedicure for myself. Before starting my self-care routine, I plan what I will cook for lunch and prepare the ingredients by cutting and washing them. After that, I pamper myself and take care of personal grooming, including wearing silicone socks to keep my feet clean and applying lotion inside them. I keep them on until I take a bath.
When my daughters wake up, I freshen them up and spend some time playing with them. I feed them while telling stories or chatting. My husband and I also have our breakfast with them.
Afterwards, I begin cleaning the house, wiping furniture, dusting the TV, refrigerator, showcases, tables, and other surfaces. After finishing that, I oil my hair because on holidays, I need to wash my hair properly. I give myself a hot oil massage, but during summer, I avoid using hot oil. Instead, I warm the oil in my hands and apply it when it reaches a comfortable temperature. I comb and braid my hair after applying oil.
While I’m oiling my hair, my daughters often come to me wanting their hair oiled as well. I let them do it because they show interest in following my routine. I also tie and braid their hair.
After they go off to play or watch TV, I continue with other household chores. Sometimes, my helper joins me during this time.
While I’m in the middle of my household chores, my children come to me one by one, making various demands such as food, toys, or other things. I remain calm and manage to fulfill their requests while continuing my work. I try to calm them with love instead of shouting.
After finishing my chores, I bathe with my daughters. We shampoo our hair thoroughly. I always use conditioner after shampooing and wash my face with a face wash. I clean my body with body wash instead of soap because it’s gentler. My daughters enjoy bath time with me. I wrap my wet hair in an old t-shirt, which absorbs water well. I comb the ends of my hair with a brush, avoiding the roots, and tie it up loosely with a scrunchie to maintain its smoothness and prevent tangling. After bathing, my daughters and I cut our nails because they are softer and easier to cut at that time.
After prayer, we have lunch together. My younger daughter and I take a nap for refreshment, but my elder daughter prefers to play with her friends or by herself during this time. She doesn’t like to nap at noon.
After nap time and prayer, my kids and husband go to the roof of our apartment where the kids play various games.
In the evening, we have some snacks after prayer. Every time I wash my face, I apply moisturizer. I try to keep my face free from makeup, sunscreen, or chemical products and often use a light moisturizer like aloe vera gel, which also works as a natural sunscreen. If I run out of aloe vera gel, I use an oil-free, alcohol-free, and paraben-free moisturizer. I always keep extra moisturizer for emergencies.
During holidays, we spend time together outside for dinner or at other entertaining places. The next day, I prepare meals for the kids and us for the whole week, and everything else goes as usual.
Remember, it’s important to practice self-care when your children are awake so that you can rest when they do. Waiting until they sleep to care for yourself will only make you more tired and leave you with no time to rest. Women are constantly on the move with household chores, children, and work, so it’s essential for them to pamper themselves and take breaks.