Cultivating a peaceful atmosphere in my home is a high priority for me. After seventeen years of marriage and thirteen years of parenting, I’ve learned, like it or not, I set the tone in my home. I cannot create a peaceful environment if I am walking around stressed out and burned out. I cannot model a well-balanced life for my children if they never see me taking a break.

If I ever want to be a well-balanced woman of God, who hears His voice and thrives in the fullness of her calling, then I must know and protect my physical, emotional and social limitations.  This means different things for different moms, but here are a few limits I set for myself.  See if they don’t inspire you to set your own.

Healthy Limits for Moms

1. Daily Time in the Word of God and in Prayer. No matter what the ages or schedules of my children, I make time with God my  first and highest priority. It’s a non-negotiable with me. I simply cannot do this parenting thing without Him.

2. Daily Exercise. If I don’t exercise every day, I get sluggish, impatient and mean. That’s why every one of my kids has learned to love the stroller and keep themselves occupied while Mommy lifts weights. Even if it’s just for twenty or thirty minutes.

3. A Regular Babysitter. Once a week I have someone watch my children so I can do something—anything—alone for a few hours. Over the years, I’ve swapped sitting with other moms, hired a teen-aged sitter and utilized preschool and mother’s day out programs. Whatever works to be able to drive away from the house without children strapped in the back seat.

4. Date Night. Long gone are the days where my husband and I are content to bond over an episode of Veggie Tales with our toddler nestled between us. I need time to be a wife, not just a mommy. I need to dress up, put on some make up and eat at a restaurant that doesn’t serve Kraft Mac and Cheese and/or smiley fries. I need to be able to finish a sentence or a thought. I need to see the man I married as my husband and friend, not just a co-parent. For the last 10 years or so, Jon and I have been doing date night every other weekend. It’s a life-line for my marriage and money well-spent.

5. Naps/Quiet time. If you are Cooper Kid and you are not yet in school, you will escape to your room for at least one hour every day, preferably to nap, but always to be quiet. It’s for your own good and the good of your flawed mother, who sometimes likes to nap, too.

6. The Word “NO.” Though I am quite capable, NO, I will not lead any committees until further notice. Though it sounds like a lot of fun, NO, I will not attend every social function to which I am invited. And though I run the risk of putting my children at some sort of competitive disadvantage, NO, I will not allow my kids to participate in every sport and club simply because it’s available or in season.

For more on balancing the demands of parenting, go to my blog series, Balancing God and Life.