Happy July 4th, everyone. Recently, I have been thinking a lot about independence. It feels like such a foreign concept when you’re constantly being called for and climbed on by tiny humans. But I’m finally entering the stage of parenting, with my kids nearly 10 and 13, in which my autonomy is gently being handed back to me — it’s so subtle I don’t always notice, but sometimes, I actually find myself with free time (GASP!!!) and the ability to listen to my inner voice and do what I really, truly want. But I also think that we shouldn’t wait for that to naturally happen — we should recognize that we have the right to ask for and enjoy enjoy freedoms all along the way.
In ten days, both my kids will be at sleepaway camp for two weeks, and I’ll have oodles of time to myself. (My youngest is already away and wow, one kid is a lot easier than two.) I have plans to visit a friend in Austin during this kid-free stretch, but other than that, my goal is to kind of …. do whatever I want. I mean, yes, I’ll have to work. But I’ll have no child-related commitments in the mornings or evenings. It’s really hard to wrap my head around this reality but I will tell you that I am HERE FOR IT.
What are some ways in which you’ve been able to enjoy independence lately, even if it’s just been for a few fleeting moments? Have you carved out time for yourself in some way or engineered a few moments of alone time? Or just … made choices that served yourself and no one else? I want to hear about them! I firmly believe we should celebrate these choices rather than hide them or feel guilty for them. We all deserve breaks. We all deserve to do things for ourselves. The more we can talk about and normalize these choices, the better off we all will be.
So please share your experiences, plans, hopes, dreams, etc in the comments. And Happy Independence Day!
I’m pretty protective of my morning tea. It’s also usually when my toddler is the neediest but *most* of the time I’m undeterred. I need a moment to peacefully enjoy my (warmish) tea without a barrage of demands.
Also, each parent gets a solo 3-4 day trip a year. I’m planning mine now. Welcoming any and all ideas from the US northeast.
Please report back how the sleepaway camp goes! I always wanted to go as a kid and my hope is to be able to send my daughter when she’s older. Would love to hear how your kids enjoyed (or didn’t) it!
My daughter’s family, i.e. my grandchildren, are sick with Covid so no swimming, no burgers and dogs today. No neighborhood parade. I am alone and lonely. So I am going to play pickleball with some other old people. 😕