It was so funny when I read this blog post on being alone because I had just been thinking about that today. When you have children there is no being alone. Your children follow you everywhere and rightfully so! They love you and want to be just like you. Though, sometimes it is great to have alone time. It's important to take some time for yourself and go out alone, send the kids to their grandma's house or just to go somewhere and think quietly. It's important for our sanity! (And it would be VERY nice to be able to go to the bathroom or take a shower without the kids in the bathroom with you.)
I'm a single mom so alone time is very rare. Even working from home, my kids invade my office wanting to sit there watching me work. There are times I want to have them go play in the living room or their bedrooms so I can work, but I reserve that for the times they act like absolute maniacs! If they are quietly playing or sitting there while I'm working, I will allow them to sit there.
How can we spend time by ourselves?
- Try to take some time when your kids are napping. Naptime is a great time for us to catch up on sleep or just read, relax, watch TV and regroup your sanity.
- While your kids are in school take some time to yourself doing the above as well. Housework can always wait a tiny bit longer. It's more important for you to be sane and calm.
- Have dad or grandma watch the kids while you go out for a drive, go out for lunch with friends, go see a movie by yourself.
- Set the kids up to do a craft quietly. The kids will still be around, but you can get some alone time while they are playing.
All in all, it's impossible for moms to do everything they do and stay sane. Alone time is important. Some moms feel like leaving their kids with dad or grandma makes them a bad mother, but that is not true. To be at your best you have to have your sanity and have to have your brain in the right place. Taking some time for yourself is the only way to do that.
Do you have any other ideas for mommy alone time?
