Okay, moms. Gisele Bunchen has some advice for you, advice you might hesitate to agree with at first, but let’s hear her out.
“It’s very important to nourish yourself, take care of yourself,” the mother of two told the The Sunday Times Style magazine. “You know how they say on the plane that you have to put the oxygen mask on first and then put it on your child? So, I think it is the same, as a mum, to take care of myself.”
While she has been receiving a little heat for this statement for comparing motherhood and emergency airplane instructions, let her finish.
“You can feel a bit guilty — you feel guilty if you do and if you don’t. But if I put my oxygen mask on first, if I’m feeling fulfilled and present and good about myself, then I’m going to be a much more patient, loving, understanding mother and wife. You have to fill your glass so that everyone can drink from it. That’s how I feel,” she said.
While she may be the world’s top paid supermodel, Bundchen’s opinions on parenting and motherhood have never been well received by the online community. Back in 2006, she famously told Harper’s Bazaar,”I think there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months.” And who can forget the online uproar she started after posting a picture on Instagram of her getting pampered by her glam squad while breastfeeding her little one, calling it #multitasking.
But hey, today is a new day. Not 2013 and definitely not 2006. While not everyone will want to wholeheartedly agree with Bundchen’s view about moms putting themselves first, I think she makes a really good point.
Is it selfish? Sure. But if taking care of yourself makes you feel better, then don’t you think that will positively impact the way you interact with your children and spouse and in turn, make you a better mother and partner because of it? I mean she’s not talking about being self -indulgent mom who completely neglects their kids, she’s just simply stating that putting away time for ourselves can have a greater impact on our children than obsessing over them 24/7. I mean, just think how 10-15 minutes of “me time” could change your life.
Seriously, think about it. How would your children benefit from having a happier, less stressed mom all because she took a couple minutes to take care of herself. Say what you will about Bundchen, but I think she hit the nail right on the head with this one.
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