Quality time with(out) the family?

I’m always ranting on about spending quality time with the family. Little did I realize, what I actually needed, was quality time without them.

Sorry guys, feel awfully guilty saying it, but after spending my first weekend in 2 years away from it all I feel human again. Just being me, you remember don’t you? Me.

I spent my birthday at Pekes Oast House with amazing friends who have refreshed and revitalized me. 3 days of silliness, sangria and smiling with the odd swim and sauna for good measure. Talking about everything and talking about nothing. It’s really amazing how many words you can find to fill a day when you are not constantly interrupted with needs and wants from others. ‘I need the toilet’, ‘can I have…?’,’where’s my…?’.

What about what I need?

My friends are like therapy for me, each one of them wonderful in their own unique way. A very wise woman told me that your good friends all represent one of your own qualities. I don’t know about that, but perhaps it explains why you click with the people that you do. Friends come and go, but real friends will be with you forever. Keep hold of them. Our kids will grow and need us less and less each day.

So why do we feel so guilty when we leave them? I guess when your full time job is being a MUM you feel you’re failing when you’re not in charge. Truth is, my lot are probably much better when I’m not around moaning about mud on the floor or poo in the toilet. If you do any job constantly without a break, eventually you burn you, start to make mistakes. In every other job you take a holiday to keep you from going crazy.

Why is being a Mum different?

They are fine without us.

Really they are.

We used to laugh at my mum declaring ‘I’m on strike’. She’s from a generation of women who cared for us morning, noon and night without a break. It doesn’t have to be like that. We do have a choice.

So GO ON ladies.

Leave the deputy in charge. Book some quality time without the kids. Scoop up some delicious friends and head to a hot tub somewhere for a few days. You deserve it!

And if you are still feeling any guilt at all, look at it from their point of view. They deserve a break from you!

9 Responses to “Quality time with(out) the family?”

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1 Countryidyll February 9, 2013 at 15:24

Good on you, a bit of self indulgence is good for the soul. Just a few days or even a day away with the friends, doing what you want, chilling out, can only be good for those back at home, when you return.

- 2 a field somewhere February 10, 2013 at 09:25
  
  Hello chicken. Thanks for reading. Yes, I think the doctors should start prescribing friends and ‘you time’ and leave the drugs on the shelf. X
  
3 Model mummy (@rowdyreviewer) September 9, 2013 at 08:50

Looks like you had an amazing time! I have been thinking about booking a girly weekend for a while. I want to have that much fun too! Yep – baby needs a break from me!

4 Kim Carberry September 9, 2013 at 18:04

Brilliant! Sounds like you had a fab time!! Sometimes leaving the kids does give everyone a break….lol

5 Jaime Oliver September 9, 2013 at 21:00

now this sounds fantastic to me, i have missed my chums and some space!

thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x

- 6 a field somewhere September 9, 2013 at 21:05
  
  Grab some girl friends and get yourself away from the mad house for a while!
  
7 Trawlergirl September 10, 2013 at 13:22

So much fun and a ‘must do’ Looks fantastic fun. linking up with #magicmoments