Mommy Time-Out with Southern Living

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of PEOPLE®, Real Simple®, and Southern Living®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Everyday life can certainly drain my creative reserves: work emails, laundry, chasing after a toddler at Gymboree, planning photo shoots, baby swim classes, more work emails. By mid-day, my brain is easily a ball of mush. So whenever I get the chance I try to take, what I like to call, a “mommy time-out.” It’s a few moments to recoup, sit quietly with a cup of coffee, and get inspired. But unlike a tantrum-induced break, this is a voluntary one. One of the best ways I seek inspiration during these few moments of quiet is by leisurely perusing the pages of Southern Living Magazine. Now that I am a Southerner, it’s clearly mandatory reading.

If you are a parent, then you know planning the “mommy time-out” can be precarious. Let’s lay it out in an easy-to-follow process…

STEP #1: Make the Tyrant Sleepy

The first step is trying to tire out your kid like the energetic race horse they are. I recommend laps around the dining table in the guise of tickling. Or practicing baby’s “banging” skills on that cartoon balloon that grandpa randomly brought to the house that just won’t seem to deflate… ever. Seriously, is this balloon ever going to die?! Or how about an impromptu dance party, in which we jump continuously to a dinosaur inexplicably singing about potty training. You get the idea. If you can’t temporarily dethrone the miniature dictator that reigns over your household, then you can kiss your break-time goodbye.

STEP #2: Hoard the Supplies

Every time I stop by my local Kroger, I make a point to go to the magazine aisle and pick up a copy of Southern Living. This month, I got my grubby hands on the Southern Living August Issue and was dying to delve into the theme: Savor the South! Right up my food-loving, Texan citizenship alley! I also spied Real Simple and PEOPLE which I will also enjoy very soon! I also hide candy and cookies in my house like they are bargaining chips for the coming apocalypse. You and I both know it is only a matter of months before the tiny tyrant finds the stash.

STEP #3: Coffee on the Ready

When I see that my little Napoleon is starting to rub her eyes and wander aimlessly through the house, I know my time is getting close. That is when I start prepping for my “mommy time-out.” My extra-sweet mocha latte is prepped in the mug and coffee is already brewing. I have my tray out and have already placed the sweets and Southern Living magazine in their proper places. I have even staked out a quiet corner in my bedroom for the time-out.

STEP #4: Do not hesitate

The second that little tornado’s head hits the pillow, you make a mad dash to the coffee-maker. Brew it, make the mocha latte, place it on the tray, and head over to the quiet corner.

STEP #5: Soak it in!

Now there’s nothing between you and those heavenly, inspiration-packed pages. Breath in the caffeinated aromas, indulge in a bite of raspberry nougat, and let the creativity flow. The recipes! The locales! The ideas! It’s so exciting!

How will you know when your “mommy time-out” is over? It will be quite clear…

No kidding, this whole “mommy time-out” lasted a whopping 10 minutes. But oh, were those 10 minutes glorious!

And like that, the moment is gone. But with concentrated relaxation, the creativity reserves have been replenished. And like the parental warrior you are, you are back in the mix with a burst of inspirational energy. Make sure to visit your local Kroger retailer and use this coupon to pick up the Southern Living August Issue and these other magazines: PEOPLE Issue 31, Real Simple August Issue, and PEOPLE Princess Diana: Twenty Years Later. Plenty of reading for your “mommy time-out” pleasure. How do you find inspiration during the quiet moments? Shout it out below. Now if you will excuse me, I must go since it is imperative that I exaggeratedly pretend that I do not see my daughter hiding behind her hands.