I have never had trouble leaving my children for a few days.
Maybe it is because I love my children so much that I like to experiment with that whole, “Distance makes the heart grow fonder thing.” 😉
I did not cry the first day I dropped B off at daycare. I went back to work after 3 months of taking care of him and I took him to a well established home day care where I KNEW he would be in amazing hands. I remember that first day so well – getting back in the car and driving to work with my make-up on and feeling free. Feeling adult again. I was looking forward to seeing my work friends again and lunch out.
I remember trying to make myself shed even one tear because if not, what kind of mother was I? But it did not come. We both needed that separation at that time. We just did.
So I wonder if perhaps that established a feeling in me that it was OKAY to be away from my kids from time to time.
And it is.
Tim and I have always taken trips by ourselves too. Even when B was a baby we took off to Florida for a few days, while his grandparents loved on him the whole time.
When Tim and I agreed that it was best I stay home after G was born I think I was a little in shock. I was SO used to working. But we knew that my pay would basically only cover day care for two kids and that the stress of having 2 in daycare and driving to another city for work was just not worth it.
So I stopped working. And started blogging (even before he was born, actually).
Honestly, I cannot imagine working RIGHT now (maybe someday again…).
I’m thinking about all of this because I am leaving on a jet plane to go to BlogHer on Wednesday morning for several days without them. I’m leaving behind my mini-van and my Mom schedule and handing it over to others (thank you to Tim and my MIL for taking care of them!) I think it’s always a little nerve-wracking to give over control of your “job” to someone else.
But obviously they will be well taken care of and well, Mommy needs a break.
So off I go, with my suitcase packed full of clothes and shoes that I don’t normally wear every day and a shower every morning instead of who-knows-when during the day. And I get to have lunch (and dinner!) out with my friends. 🙂
It’s gonna be awesome.
And the reunion with my babies will be even that much sweeter…
How do you feel about leaving your children for a few days?
You basically just wrote my life as a parent (and my husband is a Tim too!).
I didn’t cry when we decided to send my daughter to daycare…I was kind of relieved when she went. I work from home and having her plus a demanding job was just killing me.
My husband and I have done a four day vacation away from her and a night to ourselves here or there where she spends the night with grandparents.
I think it’s completely healthy for everyone. Mom and dad get to recharge as adults and as a married couple and the kid learns that other people can take care of her and she can building on her relationship with her grandparents (or whoever is taking care of her).
BlogHer will be the first time my husband is completely on his own with our daughter. Usually the roles are reverse, with him going to a drill weekend with the Army and me staying home. Now he’ll get a taste of what it’s like on my side of the spectrum. (Mwahaha!)
I’ve left my 5yo before, back when she was little, but never my other two. Now, although my husband is coming to NYC with me to help with the 9mo that I can’t leave behind, we’re leaving both the 5yo and 3yo.
Even though I won’t be completely off the hook for motherhood, the break from the older ones will be so nice. They’re going to have a blast with their granmdma. And I’ll appreciate coming home to them that much more!
I think it’s great that you get to go to BlogHer & that you have people that can & are willing to help you out when you need or want to go somewhere. It’s so good to have that support. Can’t wait to hear all about it!
Yay you!
I’m so glad to hear someone else admit that they don’t shed tears every time they leave their children or send them off to school or whatever. Okay, I might have cried a teeny bit about middle school, but by high school I was over that! It’s good for moms, and it’s good for kids too–even if no one else can do the job as well as we do. 🙂 Have a fabulous time at BlogHer!
No bath time, no bedtime, no getting them up in the morning and dressed and out the door… It is going to be heaven.
Enjoy your time away!
I didn’t cry on my first day back to work either, and I tried to make myself cry too!!
Sounds fun, enjoy!!!
I hope you have a blast!!
You absolutely deserve some me time, so yay!
I’ve never been away from my boys – the most is when the toddler stayed the night at his grandparents (I can count how many times on one hand). I don’t know when I can, maybe when the baby weans. Even then, the heart may say otherwise!
I have never cried when leaving my girls until dropping them off at summer camp a few weeks ago. I think it was because I had to take my oldest to the 5th grade classroom. It made realize how fast time had gone. I can’t believe my first born is entering her last year in elementary school.
I also truly believe that time away is a good thing. My husband and I take trips without our girls once or twice a year. They aren’t extravagant but it is our time and we love it.
We have managed to get away from the kids for at least overnight on a yearly basis. I did work until I had my third child. I was always fine with it. Sure, I missed them, and I know that being a stay-home mom now is definitely where I belong, but I think it is good for all of us to be apart. I believe it actually increases security in our relationships–it builds trust that we will always come back together.
Hope you have so much at BlogHer.