If you are a stay at home parent you can’t just ‘chuck a sickie’ or take an RDO when you are feeling crappy or overwhelmed.
Having an actual day off from parenting usually requires so many hours of preparation and organising that you wonder if it is worth it! It is worth it, if you can make it happen, but don’t give up all hope if you can’t… there is still a way to get a break!
If you can’t take a whole day off parenting, you can at least take a partial day off.
Call a strike!
You still turn up to work as usual, you’ll still respond to emergencies, but as far as everything else is concerned, you’re on strike.
Here’s how how to take a day off parenting without actually having a day off!
Check your guilt at the door.
This is a day for rest and relaxation, not stressing about ‘could haves’ and ‘should haves’!
Inform all concerned of your strike and demand sympathy and co-operation.
Ok so you might not get sympathy but you are more likely to get co-operation if you explain, especially if you have older kids.
No one gets dressed
PJ day for all, no hassles with what to wear, getting dressed, or creating extra laundry.
No one washes.
It doesn’t matter how filthy they are, it can wait till tomorrow.
Breakfast is cereal.
Cereal with or without milk, bowl and spoon, depending on how capable your kids are at serving themselves. From the box, by the handful is totally acceptable.
Lunch is cereal
See above. (or if you are organised pack your kids a lunch box and a water bottle the night before )
Dinner is take out.
Exactly what kind of take out depends on what you can get delivered to your door, and what can be eaten directly out of the container so there is no cleaning up. I recommend Pizza.
Make a Mummy base camp.
Choose a central position that is warm and comfortable where you can supervise at least a little, and stay there, let the kids come to you.
It will be a screen FULL day.
We already ditched the guilt so let the electronic babysitter do it’s thing, just for one day, you can make up for it during the rest of the week.
For older kids invoke the ‘no blood, no drama’ rule.
If you are not bleeding or in need of a trip to the hospital, you don’t need me.
Supervise with your ears.
You know what real trouble sounds like, so close your eyes and let your ears do the work.
Enjoy your kids.
Don’t fight against it, accept the mess and the noise, enjoy the snuggles and the crumbs in your bed. They drive you nuts and wear you out, but your kids also make your life awesome.
Have you ever taken a day off parenting?
Have you ever gone on strike?
What tips would add to the list?
Awesome stuff. Love this. Wish I had read it back when my girls were smaller and I was continually overworked and overtired. I love your leave the guilt at the door theory.