The Everything Shower That Never Happens Anymore
Remember when taking a shower used to be… enjoyable?
Like full-body moisturize, shave your legs, deep-condition enjoyable?
Now I look at my hair and think, “Is today the day I officially become a dry shampoo mom?”
Because an everything shower isn’t relaxing anymore, it’s a competitive sport for mothers trying to squeeze in any type of self-care.
Here’s my current routine:
Wash hair.
Rinse.
Condition.
Shave one leg.
Break up a cage match.
Shave the other leg (maybe).
Host a press conference through the door.
Find out my towel has been repurposed for “princess hair.”
Reevaluate my entire existence as a woman and mother.
By the time moisturizer comes around, I’m sprinting like I’m in the Mom Olympics, all while someone is screaming for a snack.
And blow drying?
Girl. No.
Motherhood burnout said absolutely not.
What kills me is - this used to be my escape.
My quiet time.
My reset button.
Now even brushing my teeth feels like part of the mental load of motherhood, and washing my face before bed requires full hostage negotiation with myself.
And don’t get me started on the influencer girlies waking up at 5:30 AM for their “peaceful morning routine.”
Good for them.
Couldn’t be me.
At 5:30 AM I am dead to the world and proud of it.
But here’s the part I’m wrestling with:
I WANT to take care of myself.
I know mom self-care matters.
I want my kids to see a mom who doesn’t run on fumes and caffeine and sarcasm.
So why is it easier to do everything for everyone else than one tiny thing for myself?
Maybe because motherhood trains us to ignore our own needs.
Maybe because our kids’ needs scream louder.
Maybe because somewhere along the way, moms started believing their needs were optional.
And honestly? That belief is the loudest source of mom guilt and mom burnout.
I’m tired.
I’m tired of treating my hydration like a suggestion.
I’m tired of apologizing for wanting ten freaking minutes alone.
I’m tired of pretending martyrdom is part of the job description.
Maybe the real rebellion isn’t waking up at 5:30.
Maybe the rebellion is saying: “My care counts too.”
Not perfectly.
Not consistently.
Not aesthetically pleasing on TikTok.
Just intentionally.
Just because mom self-care shouldn’t be something we earn, it should be something we deserve.
And I think the version of me who believed that?
She’s still here.
She just needs me to remember her.
