Last Monday afternoon I was suddenly offered something I’ve never had before: a Mommy’s Day Off. My sister and brother in law decided to go to the beach for the day on Tuesday and offered to take my two year old with them. Suddenly I was faced with an entire day to spend by myself. I was tempted to take off shopping but my lack of funds and exhaustion of late changed my mind. I ended up spending most of the morning working on a sewing project. Then I had lunch followed by a nice long nap, something I can rarely justify. It was a strange sensation sitting in an empty house. For a while I just sat and enjoyed the quiet. No TV, no toddler music, no whining: just silence. Of course, inevitably I started feeling sad about how empty the house seemed. Imagining what life would be like without my daughter (aside from the fact that I would still be working fulltime and wouldn’t be home during the day), I found that I missed her presence. Though I got over it, and threw myself into enjoying my day. I mostly focused on rest and relaxation, two things that are rare for me. Had I had a few more days of notice, I might have planned a bit more.
What kind of things do you do on your Mommy or Daddy day off?
I just popped over from your comment on In the Backyard. I can so relate to the scenario you painted. Only in MY story, it was ME whose depression is triggered by sleep deprivation. It’s a serious situation, and one we need to take special care to protect. Do whatever you need to do to get some sleep, my friend. Sleep is so very, very important.
I just wanted to encourage you that God knows where you are and He loves you very much.
Blessings,
Sandy
Thanks for your encouraging words. Fortunately, at two, my daughter is a good sleeper, though her naps are getting shorter. I worry more about what will happen when we have another child and I am too tired to care for both a baby and a toddler during the day.
Yeah…no one ever tells you what to do when that second one comes along. The whole “sleep when the baby sleeps” doesn’t work when you have a toddler, does it. When the time comes, I pray you have lots of help. 🙂