This summer, my three kids spent several weeks with my
parents in their home in Connecticut.
For the kids, this is an amazing time when they bond with their
grandparents and get away from the city.
For my husband and me, this is an amazing time to spend a few weeks
focusing on work, spending kid-free time together, and getting a break from the
day to day bustle of life with kids.
This summer I realized another bonus: that I could be HOME
ALONE! Yes, you heard what I said. At
home with no kids, no husband, no nanny -- no one but me!
For people without kids, the simple pleasure of being in
your own home with no one else around may not seem that exciting but for a mom
who never (and I really mean never) gets to be home alone, this simple pleasure is on par with fancy
dinners, spa days, and juicy beach reads.
Being home alone is one of the most delightful experiences of my life as
a mom.
When it first dawned on me that I could be home alone for
hours at a time, I felt like the little kid from the movie Home Alone when he
first realized that his family had disappeared during holiday break. I wanted to sit in my pajamas, eat potato
chips, and watch movies all day.
Of course, I had other things to do and couldn’t spend hours
on movie marathons but during the two weeks when I had a few hours at home with
no one else, I started to think about how rare and important alone time
is.
There’s something peaceful and rejuvenating about being in
your own home when no one else is there. And it’s different to be home alone
rather than other places alone. I am
alone in my office a lot but that’s different. I try to get along time by going
to the spa or going to a bookstore but that too is different – it doesn’t last
for long and I’m not in my own private space.
As working moms, I wish we could have more times home
alone. Not just quiet time after the
kids are in bed but real time – hours when we are not exhausted, can have the
freedom and comfort of home, and just enjoy the special place that we have
built. I think many of us are looking
for the chance to let our hair down and if not literally but figuratively sit
on the couch and watch a movie marathon.
In the months since summer, I have counted the hours when I
have been home alone. I don’t think I’ve hit 5 hours yet. I don’t know if I’ll add any more hours until
next summer but there’s no question that I’m already anticipating my two week
break and the bliss of my time home alone.
This is what I love about my post call days. After I wake up from my nap I have 2-3 hours of time to myself. It's AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked part-time I had Tuesday mornings off. I would drop Eve at daycare and go home and TAKE A SHOWER COMPLETELY BY MYSELF. It was heavenly. I miss that SO much.
ReplyDeleteI don't dream of winning the lottery, I dream of having several weeks alone in the house while someone takes care of my kids somewhere else. So far, no one sane enough has volunteered. You have won the "it takes a village" lottery. :)
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