Alone Time

When our kids were young, there were days where I was simply “spent” come dinnertime. Every young mom knows what I am talking about. You can enjoy your kids and emotionally invest in them all day long and still be worn out by suppertime. Sometimes this causes you to get irritable at the littlest things.

My husband did something wonderful for me once in awhile. He let me have a little “alone time.” I would prepare dinner for my family, then I would take mine and go into our bedroom and eat by myself. It was heavenly. Sometimes I would watch a little television set in there while I ate and other times I would eat in solitude – simply soaking up time to be by myself.  Often, I’d finish eating and just sit in there an extra 15 or 20 minutes to truly recharge my battery.

It was a simple fix on a simple budget.

We didn’t do this too often. For one thing – I really did hate to be away from my kids. I enjoyed their company. It was just that sometimes, my husband could easily tell that I needed a break…even if it was a small one. Another reason I didn’t do this too often was that I wanted to be careful that my children didn’t feel like I needed time away from them. I never wanted them to feel like I needed to get away from them for a while. On the contrary, it was more that I needed some “me” time. Time to just focus on me – even if only for a dinner meal.

I remember those evenings with fondness in my heart. I would often come out of our bedroom (for I had closed the doors to help muffle noises that might otherwise lull me out of my quiet time) and I would often look at my husband and say “thank you.” Sometimes what we need the most is often the thing we find the hardest to grab hold of.  Those little breaks rescued me many times when I would have been gruffer with my kids than I ever would have wanted to be. Nothing is worth breaking their spirits or hearts – especially when it’s just that mom is tired.

If you have little ones underfoot and you are feeling weary – why not try some alone time? Often it seems like there is no room in the house where a mom can be alone (not even the bathroom!) But if your kids and husband are eating dinner and are preoccupied – try excusing yourself to your bedroom for a quiet meal alone on occasion. Explain to your children that it’s not that you need to get away from them, but simply that you need some “me” time and that you’ll be out as soon as dinnertime is over.  You’ll be amazed at how this short span of time can help you catch your breath and refocus.  And yet it’s so simple and easy to do.