Editorial Team“Pinterest is definitely one of my top guilty pleasures as a mom, especially when my brain is too tired to be productive doing anything else. After I put the kids to sleep and I just want to wind down for the night, I work on finding inspirational photos for my Pinterest boards. I am an amateur photographer, and I really enjoy aesthetic visuals. This nightly ritual indulges my creative side and gives me all kinds of content ideas for my own blog.”
– Gennifer Rose
“My guilty pleasure as a mother is brunch! Once a month, I take the time to go out to brunch with the ladies of Brown Skin Brunchin’. Each month I get to meet someone new and have a break from motherhood for a few hours. During that time, I am able to eat, drink and have amazing conversations with women that are all coming together to indulge in the same guilty pleasure.”
– Lillian, Brown Skin Brunchin
“Unfortunately, reality television is the answer, no matter how generic and obvious it is. Not only am I watching shows that appear on TV, but I’m sometimes sitting down to binge-watch shows of this type, even on streaming platforms. After work and taking care of kids, sometimes you just need an activity that allows you to fully turn off your thinking. I used to not get why people watched shows like this, but well, now here I am.”
“Reality TV dating/marriage shows. Working from home alone makes the house too quiet, so I spend a lot of time watching TV while I work. I’ve gotten into the dramatic reality TV dating shows like Love is Blind and Married at First Sight — the drama, the happily ever afters, the I Do’s, the I Don’ts, the scandals, I just soak it all in.”
– Alli Hill, Fleurish Freelance
“My guilty pleasure as a work-at-home mom is knitting. I’m a work-at-home mom who loves to knit. It might sound like a strange hobby for someone with two kids, but I find it very therapeutic, and it’s the only time of day that I get to myself. I’ve been knitting since I was about 20 years old and haven’t stopped. I like to make hats, scarves, mittens, and sweaters for my kids, but I also love making gifts for the people in my life. I find it difficult to find a hobby that doesn’t compete with my kids. Married to a man who I would describe as being very domestic and very much into cooking, I have always felt like my need for self-care and things like knitting are seen as frivolous. However, my love for knitting has never diminished, and I find myself looking forward to getting my hands on the yarn, needles, and pattern every day.”
“I think every mom deserves a break, and not just one, but several. For me, I would prefer every day. Everybody can confirm that most moms are hardworking, and sometimes these duties are overwhelming. As a single mom, it is even worse, but that does not mean denying myself some me time. Who said that as a mom, you must ensure your kids eat first, then you? Well, I think it depends on the circumstance, but that is not a rule. One of my favorite guilty pleasures is dark chocolate, and can always have it, especially during my breaks at work- without the knowledge of my kids. I simply excuse myself and melt it in my mouth to acquire all the benefits provided by its antioxidants. Sometimes, I get a lot of pressure from work or my three kids. But I know how to break free – reading a novel. I always begin by ensuring nobody interrupts the reading. Therefore, I start by keeping my girls busy around the house before locking myself in my room for it. I like a Harlequin novel with inspiring stories of sweet romance. This way, my mind gets fresh again, helping improve productivity at work and home chores. Other guilty pleasures I like include: • Shopping online. • Going to bed. • Having an extra spoon of ice cream after every serving. • Video-calling friends. • Applying makeup with tips from Pinterest.”
“My very guilty pleasure is listening to true crime podcasts. I am an English teacher and love to read, but I don’t always have time to sit down with a good book. However, I usually have time to throw my air pods in and listen while I attempt to cook healthy meals, sort dirty socks, and organize backpacks and lunches. True crime podcast episodes are bite-sized, meaning I only get interrupted two to three times per episode. They keep my attention, and most importantly, keep me sharp. Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in monotony, but following the investigations and listening for clues can be a much-needed distraction.”
– Liz Daly
“As a working mom for the past ten years with two elementary-aged children, my guilty pleasures include folding the piles of laundry Marie Kondo style and watching all of those little shirts and pants stand on their own. I also enjoy watching medical dramas. Despite working in healthcare all day long, I still enjoy watching an alternate medical reality. Additionally, I tend to stay up late, later than anyone else in the house in order to enjoy pure silence.”
“Reality TV is a saving grace when I want to turn my brain off. At the end of a long day, after managing workers at my company and being a mom, burnout is a usual beast to reckon with. I’m not going to then open up a tome by Tolstoy or learn a new language. I need to unwind. Reality TV is like a glass of wine for the brain. Completely stake-free conflict and over-the-top characters are the perfect distraction that separates my work day from my relaxing night.”
“I’ll hide my favorite foods in the back of the freezer or cabinets, so I don’t have to share. I’ll even eat them in the car alone after the gym (ironic, I know). I’ll also wait till everyone goes to bed to watch my favorite shows. Even if the show is appropriate to watch around the kids, sometimes I just want to watch things without someone talking about what is going on during the movie, the nonstop fidgeting, or just general noise”
– J de laVega
“I recently gave birth to my son, and I discovered I have postpartum depression. I didn’t have any help from either the baby’s father or my family. Looking after the baby and house chores plus work was driving me insane. I decided to switch from breastfeeding to formula feeding to see if it helps, but it did not. One day while cleaning my closet, I found a pouch of marijuana that was long forgotten. After putting my baby to bed, I took a stash of herbal goodness from the pouch and rolled nice little J, and I lit it. After a few puffs, I realized that I was actually enjoying it, and everything seemed calm. I was finally relaxed both physically and mentally after months. I enjoyed my food, which I used to eat so quickly before out of fear of my child waking up. After that, it became a ritual for me to put the baby to bed and light one in the evening.”
“Staying up late after the kids are in bed, the house is cleaned, the lunches are made, and the laundry is done to soak in a clean, quiet house. I may be tired, but being alone on the couch with a pint of Haagen-Dazs feels so much better than going to bed! And, of course, there is the guilty pleasure TV, which lately has been Murder She Wrote, Law and Order SVU, Severance, and the ultimate guilty pleasure – Love is Blind!”
“The real guilty pleasure of every working Mom is the work itself if you enjoy it. You take time away from your kids to focus on something that only you enjoy. At the same time, you’re looking at the face of someone you love more than anything, the one you say to yourself that you’re working for. But it’s really only partially true. Working for working mothers gives us a chance to grow as our children grow, but in a selfish way that doesn’t really seem selfish. It’s a guilty pleasure.”
“I don’t know if this is a guilty pleasure, but I don’t want my son to grow up. I enjoy cuddling my sleeping son. I kiss him, stroke his hair, and observe his breathing. I run the risk of disturbing his sleep and waking him up, but I can’t stop myself. I feel incredibly at ease just watching him sleep. He is both my source of strength and my source of weakness. This is my morning ritual, which I never miss. He did wake up a couple of times, but I was able to put him back to sleep right away. So everything is fine. And, yes, a part of me wishes he would never grow up.”
“My guilty pleasure is binge-watching Netflix Indian Matchmaking shows with a cocktail in hand, with a bowl of veggie chips. I also love spending countless hours looking on FB marketplace for vintage furniture and going to Home Goods in different locations and see what I can get to set my table in yet another way.”
“Mental, emotional, and physical health are linked. When you are mentally unwell, it has consequences on your body and your emotions. The other way around as well, when you are physically and emotionally unwell, it has consequences on your well-being. As a working mom, you can easily be overwhelmed and get stressed by life’s daily challenges. It is important to take care of yourself in order to be at your top energy level. As a busy mom, one of the TOP guilty pleasures, I used to put in place is taking a day off WITHOUT informing anybody. A day where I leave the house in the morning, put the kids at school, and take time for myself: I either sit in a Café and read a nice book or go for a SPA. Most importantly, you should not stay at home. If you need to sleep elsewhere.”
“Working mothers are, in my opinion, still somewhat significant in homes where the fathers don’t make enough income. Or, if the mother is a single parent who needs to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. My husband and I both make a modest income to support our family, so I must work as well to pay the bills. I am thankful that I can work from home. I really enjoy my work because I can spend valuable time with my family, thanks to my flexible schedule. My guilty pleasure, I suppose, is that I can no longer do everything I want, like when I’m single and don’t have kids.”
“My guilty pleasure would have to be waiting until my kids have to go to bed to break into my secret ice cream stash. I have another freezer in the garage where I hide my favorite ice cream. My kids would be incredibly jealous if they ever found out !!”
“One of the most indulgent things I do for myself is very simple. Couch and Netflix or a Rom-Com in the middle of the day. There is just something so different about doing this in the middle of the day. I know I should be doing other things, work or cleaning the house or something for the kids. But once in a while, I am able to do this just for me.”
“I have always been passionate about healthy living and moving my body. As a teenager and college student, I would take every opportunity to dance, play sports, do yoga, or participate in active activities with friends. Once I got married and had kids, my priorities started to change. Suddenly, taking power naps to survive the day or an extra energy drink were the only things that got me through. I needed an outlet. It wasn’t until I found Pilates that I really started to prioritize my self-care and health again. For me, pilates is a way to let go of my stress and strengthen my body and core. I love it. It is amazing to see the progress I have made in my flexibility, core strength, and stability. My body is more defined, and my mind is in a healthier place. Of course, pilates hasn’t fixed everything in my life, but it has become a supplement for my happier life.”
“I found my love for true crime documentaries when I became a full-time mom three years ago. When I’m tired or bored or have a few minutes for myself, I find myself indulging in Bailey Sarian or listening to Cold Case Murder Mysteries Podcasts. Weird, yes, but I get comforted listening to harrowing and morbid stories of true crime. As a mom, it’s a form of a guilty pleasure for me because I’m supposed to nurture and be filled with love, strength, and positivity while raising my kids. Unfortunately, watching true crimes sometimes instills fear and anxiety in me. Yet, I still can’t say no to a good murder mystery story (I guess we all have that innate curiosity to explore the crazy and dark side of the human mind).”
“My guilty pleasure is binge-watching medical dramas from my young adult life: think Grey’s Anatomy, ER, Scrub’s, and Private Practice. A great distraction from everyday life, with hot doctors, clever women to idolize, and sometimes risque plots.”
“All moms have this, it may vary, and sometimes they will not admit it, but they have it because we need it. Mine includes getting up really late on weekends, ice cream at midnight, and super luxurious shoes. I like pampering my feet the most.”
“I have a few guilty pleasures. Working as long and as hard as I do, I kind of have to — they help me to keep my sanity. The first is my “snack sock,” — which my children laugh about (mercilessly), but it serves an important purpose in my life. It is a CLEAN sock (never worn!) that I keep in my nightstand drawer. It contains any variety of non-meltable, non-crumbly candy, depending on what I’ve bought — most often some type of M&M. Snacks like these come in bags that make noise, which is difficult to enjoy if I’m quietly watching TV while my husband is asleep beside me. I can’t crinkle a bag without drawing attention. A cotton sock, however, is very quiet and allows me to stealth-snack with abandon whenever I want. So I load my snackable items into my snack sock when no one is around, and then I can eat my candy in peace and without drawing attention to myself in the process — any time of the day or night. My other guilty pleasures, honestly, involve binge-watching TV late at night or reading on my Kindle. It’s how I unwind at the end of a long day because it allows me to just turn my mind off. I watch a variety of things… Manifest (yes, I know it’s hokey), The Walking Dead (all parts of the TWD universe), stand-up comedies, Hallmark Christmas movies, Bones, Apple Originals, and the Hulu series. I just got done watching The Devil’s Hour on Amazon, and it blew my freaking mind. Reading — I’m working my way through Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series again. That’s a many—many-months-long endeavor, but every now and again, I like to revisit the tale. Finally, video games are another guilty pleasure, but it’s one that I don’t really feel all that guilty about. I adore RPGs, and my favorite is the Dragon Age franchise, which, when the mood strikes, I play from start to finish (including Dragon Age 2, which most fans will agree is subpar compared to the other two, but I don’t care what they say, it still has its good parts).”
– Alison Huff