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The author of the captivating thread told us how he first came up with the idea to post about the topic online. “I got inspired when my wife decided to go out for an errand and took our twin three-year-old girls with her that afternoon. Those times don’t really happen that often, so I really wanted to ask people online what they’d do with the unexpected and surprising time to themselves,” he shared with Bored Panda.
According to u/Kitkatcrusher, there has to be a “give and take” in relationships, where one person takes care of the kids while the other recharges.
So not me but my dad thought my mom took all of us but I was actually home and he laid down and started talking to the dog and telling her how good she is and how she does such a good job protecting the house.
A while ago I spent a week alone in my house while my wife and kids visited distant family. It was glorious.I made the food I wanted to eat, every meal was excellent. I chose a movie I wanted to watch, nobody complained. I sat in silence, nobody drilled me with questions. I cleaned up after myself, nobody else was there to immediately undo my work. I got several home improvement projects done, working on them undisturbed for 4-5 hours at a time. I slept starfish-style in the bed, no fear of elbowing anyone. I could think for hours at a time, no interruptions.I made sure to tell my wife everything productive I had done when she called, and also how difficult the home improvement projects were, let alone my full time job. I wanted her to think she was the one on vacation, not me. After all, I was the one who was “just at home”. But the truth really was that I hadn’t experienced true peace and quiet for many years, and it brought me a wonderful joy.
“We don’t really have any family in town, and we have to watch our kids all the time, but we try to help each other with raising the girls, and it’s actually easier as time goes on,” the author said.“I know it’s tempting to complete tasks while the wife and kids go out, but time will be just as well spent if we take it and do something for ourselves…”Meanwhile, Samantha, the creator of the witty‘Walking Outside in Slippers’blog, shared her personal thoughts on how partners can support each other when they’re feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities.“I am through the woods a bit on this because my kids are now 8 and 12, and not babies or toddlers. It’s especially hard to carve out alone time when you have a toddler following you into the bathroom. But I think cutting back on the parent guilt and doing what you have to do to keep your sanity is totally acceptable. Whether that is letting your kid have some extra screen time or putting them in a stroller and browsing Target again,” she told Bored Panda.
“We don’t really have any family in town, and we have to watch our kids all the time, but we try to help each other with raising the girls, and it’s actually easier as time goes on,” the author said.
“I know it’s tempting to complete tasks while the wife and kids go out, but time will be just as well spent if we take it and do something for ourselves…”
Meanwhile, Samantha, the creator of the witty‘Walking Outside in Slippers’blog, shared her personal thoughts on how partners can support each other when they’re feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities.
“I am through the woods a bit on this because my kids are now 8 and 12, and not babies or toddlers. It’s especially hard to carve out alone time when you have a toddler following you into the bathroom. But I think cutting back on the parent guilt and doing what you have to do to keep your sanity is totally acceptable. Whether that is letting your kid have some extra screen time or putting them in a stroller and browsing Target again,” she told Bored Panda.
Idk but it’s not gonna involve pants.
Take five decorative pillows off the bed and put them in the closet til the morning of her return
I cook a package of bacon and save the drippings. I cook basically everything in that fat until it’s gone.Wife and daughter are vegetarian.
“Not every second has to be structured craft and playtime. You don’t have to continuously get on the floor with your child just because they are asking. Some of the time, maybe. But not constantly. Parents have needs, too, and it’s important to meet those. If you have a partner to help out, all the better. If they are not too wiped out themselves, maybe they can watch the kids while you go on a walk or do something else you find rejuvenating.”Samanthapointed out that a brisk walk can be wonderful for mental health. “I am also a proud working mom, and I enjoy my time spent at the office, out working away from my kids.”She added that there’s no place for parental guilt. “It’s time we kick that guilt to the curb for good. Our kids have needs, but so do we. If we are not feeling good, we’re not at our parenting best anyway. And what even is parenting best? We are all just doing what we can to raise good people. That is more than enough.”
“Not every second has to be structured craft and playtime. You don’t have to continuously get on the floor with your child just because they are asking. Some of the time, maybe. But not constantly. Parents have needs, too, and it’s important to meet those. If you have a partner to help out, all the better. If they are not too wiped out themselves, maybe they can watch the kids while you go on a walk or do something else you find rejuvenating.”
Samanthapointed out that a brisk walk can be wonderful for mental health. “I am also a proud working mom, and I enjoy my time spent at the office, out working away from my kids.”
She added that there’s no place for parental guilt. “It’s time we kick that guilt to the curb for good. Our kids have needs, but so do we. If we are not feeling good, we’re not at our parenting best anyway. And what even is parenting best? We are all just doing what we can to raise good people. That is more than enough.”
I sit and stare at the wall wondering when my entire reason for existing will return, and if they brought me chocolate.
I sit in silence. No music, no mess, no having to please everyone. Just… Temporary peace.I want to emphasise that, as a hot blooded male with porn access at my fingertips, I fantasize about being alone in quiet darkness and this is more valuable to me than my biological urges.This is how exhausting raising a family is.
I’m not trying to sound cheesy, but I tidy up because my wife works hard and has a pretty stressful job.
Not to oversimplify things, but if you need some time to be alone, you need to tell your partner. If you’re exhausted, tell your partner. If you’re saddled with an unfair amount of chores, talk to them. If you feel like you’re going mad because you haven’t left the house in a week and haven’t met any friends for a month—yup, you guessed it—tell your partner how you really feel.
Sure, it might be awkward and embarrassing to admit that you need a bit of ‘time off’ from parenting. You might feel guilty admitting that you also want to do the other things that you love and to meet the other folks in your life you care about. But a parent isn’t just a parent.
Turn off the lights that were left on in every room and closet.
Sit in silence/nap. My wife knows when I need some down time and she takes the kids out for a few hours. She is amazing.
FINALLY a chance to clean up without anyone in the way!Turn up the music and bust out the broom and mop and rags! 8DGo outside for a smoke and get to it! 8D.
The odds are that your partner will be happy to support you… and you should be ready to do the same for them. You could take the kids to the playground, park, or cinema for a few hours and let your partner do whatever they want to do. Or you could keep them occupied at home while the love of your life goes out to socialize a bit outside the house.
Nap.
The fact is that you can’t take care of others well if you don’t take care of yourself first. If you want to be a capable partner and parent, you need to be healthy: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.If you’re burned out, exhausted, and constantly on edge, how loving of a person do you think you’ll be? You don’t want to end up resenting your nearest and dearest. You owe it to yourself to take care of your health. And part of that means being ‘selfish’ to do some things alone.We all need to recharge our social batteries from time to time, no matter if we’re extroverts, ambiverts, or introverts. Meanwhile, your kids don’t need to bemicromanaged. Let them make some mistakes on their own so they develop some independence and confidence.
The fact is that you can’t take care of others well if you don’t take care of yourself first. If you want to be a capable partner and parent, you need to be healthy: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
If you’re burned out, exhausted, and constantly on edge, how loving of a person do you think you’ll be? You don’t want to end up resenting your nearest and dearest. You owe it to yourself to take care of your health. And part of that means being ‘selfish’ to do some things alone.
We all need to recharge our social batteries from time to time, no matter if we’re extroverts, ambiverts, or introverts. Meanwhile, your kids don’t need to bemicromanaged. Let them make some mistakes on their own so they develop some independence and confidence.
Do a bunch of chores and stuff while I daydream about what I’m going to do when I have free time. This lasts until they return.
S**t with the door open and yell while doing it.
See Also on Bored Panda
Of course, the assumption is that both partners put in the effort to make their relationship and family life work. This means that they’re contributing to the household through a combination of work, housework, childcare, or anything and everything that’s needed, as it’s needed.You probably won’t find a perfect 50/50 split ofchoresand childcare in any relationship. What matters is that the division of responsibilities makes sense for the couple. If someone feels like they’re doing most of the work without any appreciation while their partner lazes about, then there’s an issue. But, again, open communication solves that problem.
Of course, the assumption is that both partners put in the effort to make their relationship and family life work. This means that they’re contributing to the household through a combination of work, housework, childcare, or anything and everything that’s needed, as it’s needed.
You probably won’t find a perfect 50/50 split ofchoresand childcare in any relationship. What matters is that the division of responsibilities makes sense for the couple. If someone feels like they’re doing most of the work without any appreciation while their partner lazes about, then there’s an issue. But, again, open communication solves that problem.
Amplifier goes to 11.
Turn the ac down.
Usually I go to bed and take a nap. I don’t like to be seen napping (I have a complex about being seen as lazy) and I like the chance to have the bed to myself.
What do you personally like to do when you’re left alone without your family, dear Pandas? How do you and your partner ask each other for some time to be alone? What do you do to support each other when you’re both feeling overwhelmed?
It’s happened once. I got incredibly high, forgot to make myself dinner, and stayed up till 3am playing video games on a school night and crushed like 10 beers.So either that or panic and apologize.
Start a violent movie. Something the kids can’t watch and something she wouldn’t be interested in.
Had this the other day. I ate 1.5g mushrooms and watched avatar while listening to a podcast doing a commentary on avatar.
This is more for when the wife went out of town for a couple of days…Back in my early 20s, I would immediately pull the mattress off the bed and drag it into the living room, drive to Hooters and grab a giant bucket of wings, then come home and sit on my living room bed eating wings while watching porn.Now, in my mid-40s, I fire up Farming Simulator and an audiobook.
Cry.
Video games.
Work and clean in peace .
Hop on the computer and get comfy.
Fire up valheim.
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