Jun 20 2008
Squeezing In Some Me Time
Being mommy 24/7 is work, a full time job with after-hours responsibilities and no compensation for overtime. It’s cool, that’s what I signed up for, but occasionally I need to recharge. Usually that renewal comes in the form of dinner out with my sister, minus husbands and children, so it makes for a pleasant meal chockful of banter, gossip, and venting.
Today was my day. We opted for greek and it was delicious, until my sister developed painful digestive issues and we had to call it a night early. It was disappointing, we don’t go on these outings often, but I’ve come to view them as necessary.
There’s a shift that happens when I get away without my kids. Initially there’s a little trepidation, a little guilt looking in the rearview mirror and seeing their empty carseats, but it wears off. After a couple of miles, I can feel myself loosening, releasing, the car stereo gets turned up, I’m driving a little faster, and holy cow, I start to feel like an individual again. There’s a giddiness in that power, in suddenly (if even only temporarily) being responsible only for me…I tend to laugh louder, flirt with the waiters, and eat more than I should. These are the only meals I can enjoy where I’m not spoon feeding someone else or scolding a child for having poor table manners. These are the meals where I can flaunt my own poor table manners and be OK with it.
So our night was cut short. I’m bummed and I still had to come home and assist with the bedtime rituals on my night off, no less. I’ll have to push for a do-over next week, and maybe make a mental note to avoid the greek restaurant for a spell.
How do you recharge?
