Parents need their time away
By Staff
Michelle Blaylock, Mom's Corner
It was an eventful Memorial Day weekend at the Blaylock house. Of course, first of all we got to enjoy the first few days of summer vacation from school, we purchased our annual pool pass, Daddy came home from a two week business trip, and Mommy ran away from home. . .just for overnight.
Well, actually I took hubby with me. I had noticed I was getting to be a very crabby, grouchy, cranky, mommy. After considering the situation, I realized I hadn't had a complete night's sleep in some time (umm, exact time on that would be when?), I hadn't done anything for just me in (umm, well, umm), and the thought of a hot tub made my skin tingle!
We had planned a family getaway over the weekend to the Renaissance Festival in Nashville, but the air-conditioning went out in our van and a 15-passenger van with no A/C is not a fun thing. So we went to plan B. Since our 17- year-old had been lucky enough to get some time off work for our family getaway, we didn't want to waste it. We changed our "Weekend Family Get Away" to a just a "Short Family Day Get Away."
That's when the idea came to me. One of our daughters had been invited to a sleepover; my 17-year-old could watch the others. I could run away! Well, not permanently, but temporarily. I could, I really could!
I thought about not taking hubby with me, but decided it would be safer for the children if I did. Not to mention I hadn't seen him in two weeks. He might be hurt if I didn't take him with!
So I made my plan. My 17-year-old agreed to watch the younger ones.
Well, OK, she didn't actually agree so much as she just didn't run screaming away when we asked her to do it. Hubby found us a nice a hotel in Huntsville. I liked the idea of the hotel being in Huntsville–it's far enough away that the kids couldn't find me, but close enough that in an emergency I could get back to them.
My plan also included swimsuits, snacks, massage oil, and sodas for the hotel. For home my plan included frozen pizzas, sodas, laying out medications, movies, etc.
We had our family day, then I took my daughter to her friend's for her sleepover. John and I packed. I gave everyone hugs and kisses and left! It was wonderful. John and I spent hours in the pool and the hot tub! It was amazing. There were kids there, but I didn't care. I didn't have to watch them. They weren't mine! We watched an entire movie without interruption. I had a wonderful backrub and I slept like a rock. I was in a lot better disposition the next day–imagine that?
So what's the whole point of all of this? The point is that no matter what you do in your life, everyone needs a change of pace from time to time. It doesn't have to be expensive.
John and I spent a little more on the hotel this time than we normally do, but we actually haven't done a getaway for about three and a half years.
Since our baby came along with his special needs, we just haven't felt comfortable leaving him overnight and, in all honesty, this time we didn't leave until about 5:30 pm on Sunday and we were home by 11 a.m. on Monday. So this was truly an "overnighter," but it was still nice to get away and have a few hours to ourselves.
We have also traded with friends to watch our kids while we did an overnight getaway. One weekend we would watch their kids and one weekend they would return the favor. One time quite a few years and several kids ago, we lucked out and one weekend every one of our kids was invited to a friends for a sleepover on the same night! It was almost spooky in the house. Needlessly to say, John and I took advantage of that weekend, too.
I think as parents we get so wrapped up in our families, we forget about ourselves until we're in meltdown mode. It's important for us to take time to refresh ourselves. Now I wonder what I can do about next weekend. . . .
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion, please send it to me at: Mom's Corner; P.O. Box 1496; Hartselle, AL 35640 or e-mail: moms-corner@juno.com.
