The 411: parents have lives too
I know that it can be a real trap for parents to sink their entire lives into revolving around their children and only their children. Well, maybe some laundry can be thrown in for good measure, but then again, kids need the clean clothes, so maybe it really is still all about the children.
Since becoming a stay at home mom, I decided that I can’t fall into a rut where taking care of myself becomes a second or third or even sixth place item in my routine. I try really hard to get up before Fuller and at least shower. That forces me to get dressed or at least put on moisturizer. I discovered a gem of a friend who doesn’t work on Fridays and has no kids. If I ask in advance, she will happily watch Fuller while I go get my haircut or a pedicure. No, I haven’t gotten a pedicure yet, but I plan on it!
When I was in Ohio last week, my mom and I took Fuller to a near by outlet mall. It really made me tackle my fear of shopping with Fuller. There were many deals to be had and I walked away from the Talbot’s store with $6 capris and a $2.50 t-shirt. Other stuff too, but those were my steals of the day. I walked away feeling really good about myself.
Which is why today I am going shopping again. It is the first day of the tax-free holiday in Tennessee. I need/ want a new dress for a wedding and I have been coveting a pair of shoes, specifically these shoes, for a while. Do I plan on getting anything for Fuller? Maybe diapers, because they are tax free, but beyond that, not really. We might go to a thrift store and check them out, but really, I want stuff for me.
And of course, Fuller doesn’t have only one parent. He has a Daddy who wants “me time” too. He gets it when he has game night with the guys and gets time to work on his special projects.
I’ll admit we fall short in the category where we make time for each other. We try for the occasional date night every month or so, but it tends to be just dinner and a movie. Better than nothing, right?
So, give me some input here: how do you and your spouse make time for yourselves and each other.
mom time, dad time, date night, time away from the kids
