How much time do you get without your kids?

Question

My husband has been deployed for the past 6 months and is home now on R&R and took our son to the store. This is the first time in 6 months that I have had alone time. It's wonderful, no noise or anything. I have to wait another 6 months after this until my next break but the quite time is amazing.How often do you get a break? What do you do during your break?

Answer 1

Every couple of weeks my husband takes the kids and I go to the bookstore, drink coffee, and read for a few hours.  Once a month (or two, or three -- it really varies) my husband and I get a babysitter and go out to dinner.  Once a year for our anniversary we get the grandparents to babysit overnight and go somewhere within driving distance.

I'm such a better parent when I get back! I'm actually quite an introvert, which isn't something you can really indulge much with four kids, and a little time to myself makes me feel ever so much better.  My husband travels a lot and works late hours and I've been home full-time with the kids for 9 years, so I'm usually very ready for a break.

And ... woo hoo! ... I'm about to go on a solo 3-day trip this weekend to visit my newborn nephew.  At the moment, I'm deliriously excited about this unheard-of time to myself.  I'm sure when I get there I'll miss the kids.  My husband, who has never spent more than a few hours alone with the kids, is already lining up his parents to come help him.  Wimp.  ;-)

Answer 2

i dont have kids but i have a newborn baby sister and i spend like 12 hours out of the day with her.

Answer 3

I get "me time" next to never,... maybe when I'm in the bathroom or when my son takes a nap twice a day for an hour. I'm not saying I'm constantly taking care of him, but when he's with somebody, I am normally with somebody else. I really like spending quality time with my husband more than myself, because I'm with myself all day, but not with my husband.

Answer 4

I remember that time!  My hubby left (his 2nd time) when our son was 10 months old and came home a year later.  While he was home on his R&R, I LOVED the break.  I was with our son constantly so it was very, very nice for him to be there and able to help out!!!  I really got spoiled w/ the "me time" after he came back from his tour (the 1st several weeks back).  We now have a 3 year old and a 4 1/2 month old.  The only me time I get is for about an hour a day, after the boys go to sleep.  It usually consisit of taking a shower but on the weekends I have time to have a beer w/ my hubby and just talk & relax.

I never realized how hard it was until I had to do it by myself.  I have soooo much respect for single parents now!  Thank you to you & your husband!

ETA:  That's the truth!!!  I had so much time on my hands the 1st time that I had to find new hobbies to keep me from thinking about him constantly.  It was soooo different w/ a baby, I didn't have time to sit around and miss him!  : )

Answer 5

7.5 hours Monday thru Friday.  When I'm at work.  

LOL

Any other time, he's with me.  

Actually - I'm going out to celebrate my good friends birthday this Saturday night.  It will be the first time I've been out in quite a while.  I probably won't know what to do with myself, LOL

Answer 6

im not shure yet

im only 14 :)

Answer 7

With my first 3 children, I didn't have a break for 8 years.  My oldest one is now almost 24.  My youngest is 5 and my second oldest daughter and grandson live with me.  I have a few minutes in the morning and a few minutes after they go to bed at night before I go to sleep.  I don't get much ME time.  My husband works out of town and is home every 3 months, so I know where you are coming from.  This doesn't bother me because I chose being a mother as my career, so this is what I do and what I enjoy with no regrets.  If I do end up with some quiet time, I go crazy.  I'm so used to the noise that it is weird.

Answer 8

You should invest in friends and church that will help watch your son.  You need a little more alone time than a few hours every 6 months.

Sounds like your son is an only child - you should invite a friend over to play so that they can buddy up and you can do other things.  Later, that friend might invite your son over to play and you will have alone time.

Take your son to a "mother's day out" type program.  A few hours a day 2 or 3 days a week. He needs to be around other kids and you need a break.

Also - thanks to your husband and your family for him serving our country!!!

Answer 9

When I leave the kids in the van and I run into the store... I get alone time. When the baby is sleeping and my daughter is at friends... than I get alone time. But I never actually get alone alone... one is always sleeping or in the van waiting for me.

Answer 10

the only break i get is when i am at work so i get 20hrs a week and as much as i love them sometimes it would be nice to be able to enjoy some me time

Answer 11

Interesting question.  Tell your husband that i said "THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO".  

I never really got alone time.  I was a single mother with a job, kid and car payment.  My mother never sat for me, unless it was to work.

I am finally an empty nester and learning how to enjoy my time.