There are few things in life that I love more than summer. What is truly better than sunshine, open swimming pools, and warm {ok, hot} weather? It’s a chance to revitalize and soak in all the vitamin D that nature provides and also a time to get in some “mom time”. So, when the kids head to camp or to their grandparent’s house, here are 5 ideas of how to spend your time!
Catch up on your sleep
I remember hearing older moms saying that they “sleep with one eye open.” I fully understand that phrase now. I was just telling my husband, “I sleep all night, but never feel rested.” When your kids are gone, take all the naps you can. Also, enjoy a fully productive night of uninterrupted sleep!
Get together with your girlfriends
Life is busy when there are children in the mix. I have the best intentions of getting together with my girlfriends, but life often gets in the way. It’s especially tough when your friends don’t have children and their schedules are always open … and yours just isn’t! Slip out for a nice lunch or a night on the town with someone that you miss hanging out with. You’ll leave rejuvenated.
Take all the “stuff” to a charity
When my kids were smaller and stuff accumulated at massive rates {hello, fast food kid’s meal toys!} I used their time away to box it up and take it away. I would rearrange the furniture in their rooms to disguise what was gone and make it not so obvious. It was a healthy purge of excess and the kids honestly never missed a thing!
Binge watch all the inappropriate shows
Spend hours on all the shows with bad words and sketchy content that you can’t watch with kids around because they will walk in at just the wrong time! Now is your chance!!! Fire up the DVR, the Netflix, the Amazon Video, the Roku and all the other devices and see what the rest of the world has been talking about.
Be alone with yourself
There is power in the quiet. Taking the time to sit on the couch or in a favorite chair with just a blanket and book, or a long hot bath – they are necessary and so beneficial to bring some center into our lives. So, even if you only have a short window of time when the kids are away, make this one a priority!
Don’t ever feel selfish for loving the peace and rejuvenation that comes from quality alone time during the summer. All of us are better when we are our best selves, and everyone deserves a little “me break” even if it comes in small doses!