When parents find themselves with free time it can be a great thing. When a single/only parent finds themselves with free time it can be confusing and kind of scary. It comes so rarely that we feel guilty about embracing it because we could be cleaning, cooking, playing with our children, catching up with friends or organizing bills. There is always something to do. I am here to tell all of you that you should have a night where you stay home and do nothing!
Going out with friends is fun, but you usually stay up too late and possibly drink too much. I know many parents who get a night off and spend it making up for lost time… this will only leave you more tired than you were before and possibly physically ill. It is fun to party hard once in a blue moon, but my suggestion is to keep yourself in check and restore yourself instead.
This past weekend I had a “night off”. My parents took Nugget for a full 24 hours! I didn’t know what to do with myself! I did spend the morning cleaning and organizing, because damn my house needed it. Cleaning without a child hanging on your leg or messing things up in the next room was actually relaxing. Around 3pm I made an executive decision not to do anything else that day. I got myself some take out, revved up my DVR and busted out my bubble bath. After relaxing in a sweet smelling, hot tub I snuggled in for a veg session. I have not been able to watch tv uninterrupted in this fashion for almost 2 years. I went to bed at a decent hour and SLEPT IN!!! Yes, it was only 8:30am when I woke up, but that is 3 hours of extra sleep in my world. I was thankful for it.
So, my suggestion for all of you parents out there, especially you ONLY PARENTS is to find a night that some family can take your little angel and do nothing but relax. It is so tempting to do chores or go out and hit the town… DON’T!!! For God’s sake get some sleep and enjoy the quiet. That is an order.
Going out with friends is fun, but you usually stay up too late and possibly drink too much. I know many parents who get a night off and spend it making up for lost time… this will only leave you more tired than you were before and possibly physically ill. It is fun to party hard once in a blue moon, but my suggestion is to keep yourself in check and restore yourself instead.
This past weekend I had a “night off”. My parents took Nugget for a full 24 hours! I didn’t know what to do with myself! I did spend the morning cleaning and organizing, because damn my house needed it. Cleaning without a child hanging on your leg or messing things up in the next room was actually relaxing. Around 3pm I made an executive decision not to do anything else that day. I got myself some take out, revved up my DVR and busted out my bubble bath. After relaxing in a sweet smelling, hot tub I snuggled in for a veg session. I have not been able to watch tv uninterrupted in this fashion for almost 2 years. I went to bed at a decent hour and SLEPT IN!!! Yes, it was only 8:30am when I woke up, but that is 3 hours of extra sleep in my world. I was thankful for it.
So, my suggestion for all of you parents out there, especially you ONLY PARENTS is to find a night that some family can take your little angel and do nothing but relax. It is so tempting to do chores or go out and hit the town… DON’T!!! For God’s sake get some sleep and enjoy the quiet. That is an order.
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