Mom, Mayhem & The Whole Damn Family

I was 30 years old before I ever had my first pedicure. Some people wait even longer, and some still haven’t treated themselves at all. But right before my birthday, something in me finally said, “You know what? I deserve this.” So I decided—even if I had to go alone—I was going to do something just for me.

And it was exactly what I didn’t know I’d been needing. A warm jacuzzi tub, a back massage, my feet soaking while the world slowed down. For maybe one whole minute, my mind stopped racing. No mental to-do list, no dinner plans, no school spirit days—just silence. Just peace.

My daughter was only four, her little body almost swallowed by the big salon chair, sitting on an extra pillow to reach. She picked her own colors. She asked a hundred questions about every tool the technician picked up, and I answered each one. She got her feet rubbed, she sang, she danced, she laughed—like joy was something she didn’t need permission for.

And that’s when it hit me:

Whether you’re four, thirty, or forty-three—everyone deserves peace. Everyone deserves to put themselves first. Caring for yourself shouldn’t be a reward you earn after years of exhaustion—it should be a lesson we’re taught from the very beginning.

My daughter won’t have to wait until she’s 30 and a mom of four to finally believe she’s worthy of something simple and kind. She’s going to grow up knowing what she needs, what she deserves—and she’ll go and get it without apologizing for it.

Because self-care is not selfish. It’s survival. It’s strength. It’s a gift we all owe ourselves sooner, not later.