Do we have a duty to take care of ourselves?

[Twentyten2010]

A combination of things (the new Imelda May song and my DH not hearing me get up with DS this morning) have made me think - do we owe it to ourselves to take care of ourselves and not be martyrs?

I know I'm guilty of it - DH genuinely didn't hear me get up and I got a bit passive aggressive and martyr-y when he told me to go back to bed and chill out. "No, it's fine, I'm up now" huff huff.

Then I came to my senses and went back to bed with a coffee, a croissant and a magazine. Because I do need this time and I do need to take care of myself.

So how much time do you get just to chill and relax? Are you guilty of trying to do too much and not stepping back?

If no one else is going to, do we have to accept that we're the ones who have to take care of ourselves?

I feel quite strongly about this. I do think we're responsible for ourselves. I see a LOT of Mothers going about like blue arsed flies...trying to do EVERYTHING and no accepting that men can do things too OR doing more than needed in a bid to be perfect and as a result, being miserable.

I'm not sure why you'd need your DH to "hear you get up" can you expand?