Being a parent is full of rewards, but it’s also a full-time role from which you don’t get many breaks. Taking time to relax at the weekends is hugely important as it helps to stave off stress and enables you to reconnect with the things you enjoy.
It may be difficult to achieve, but if you can make time in your schedule to relax with a glass of wine or engage in your favourite hobby, you will see a huge improvement in your mood and the way you interact with the rest of your family. There are in fact a number of ways to sneak in some of that valuable downtime. Here are three suggestions.
Clubs
No doubt your child will have interests that they want to pursue, and by enrolling them in a club of their choice at the weekend you can have a couple of hours to yourself. Alternate driving responsibilities with other parents so that this won’t always eat into your time off. Whilst your child has fun there is the opportunity for you to enjoy some peace and quiet that will hopefully leave you reenergised.
Grandparents
Grandparents provide the very best kind of childcare because they actually care about your child and want to spend time with them. A day out with grandma or grandpa can also be a special event for kids, so make arrangements and get planning your own day of downtime whilst they are off enjoying themselves.
Bedtimes
You may have an established bedtime for your kids or take a more flexible approach, but either way there is no harm in imposing a new rule for Friday or Saturday night. Set a time for when children need to be tucked up in bed and turn it into a routine. This will give you a chance to catch up on your favourite programmes, open that bottle of Merlot and natter with friends.
These are just a few ways to create some downtime for yourself at the weekends. Do you have any other suggestions based on your own experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Image by Martin Cathrae, used under Creative Comms license
Completely agree, it’s so important to get alone time. Me & husband are very lucky that our daughter goes to bed at 8pm every night so that we get a few hours together on our own every evening.
YES! This is so important, we have the same kind of arrangement too.