Sometimes You Just Need a Break

Working full time every single day of the year is bound to wear on you. Imagine if your full time job required that you were constantly on call when not right there at work, and you were called in every single day when you are on call. Now imagine that there is no saying no to those calls when they come in. And when you’re on the job, it’s a high stress situation with basically no down time at all. You’re now a parent that stays at home with your kids.

Being a parent is exactly like this some days and some weeks. Kids don’t simply turn themselves off. They don’t know that you have already worked your 40 hours for the week. As kids get older, you can more easily put them in front of the tv or other electronics if you really need a break, but if your child isn’t interested in watching all the time then you may only get a few minutes of quiet time.

There will come a time when you simply need a break from being a parent. In order to make this happen, you’re going to need some help. You can’t leave your kids alone at home, and for little kids, someone needs to be in the same area as they are. Getting some time off isn’t going to happen without a little bit of help. Asking for help does not mean you’re a failure - it just means that you’re human. Below are a few ways to find time for a break when you need it.

Turn on a movie for the kids

Television and other electronic devices shouldn’t be your first choice for your kids. However, when you’re really in need of some time off then the TV can be a real lifesaver. If you’re always turning the TV on for your kids, then when you really need the distraction, your child won’t be as glued to it. Making the TV a special occasion will help your child to be more enamored.

An even better way to keep your kids entertained with the TV is to pop some popcorn for them as well. Sitting a kid down to a movie and some popcorn is a great way to have them be totally lost in a different world while you relax doing something you want to. Of course, you’ll have to stay in the same general area as your child, but having them completely engaged in something else can allow you to reset.

Leave your kids with your partner

If you’re not alone, you can simply leave the kids with your partner while you get out of the house for a night. If you have a hobby or something you enjoy doing, then getting away to focus on that for several hours in a row can really help to replenish your energy as a parent. Don’t be afraid to let your partner be the parent they should be for a few hours. Even if your kids get jacked up on junk food for one night, you’ll have a lot more energy to be able to get back at it.

If you’re asking your partner to spend the night with the child, then you should expect to do the same. There is absolutely no reason why you should be able to relax and get away but your partner shouldn’t. Set out a plan for who gets to go out when and stick to it. Even if you only get out once a month, it’s certainly better than many parents are able to get.

Ask a neighbor an hour of help

While getting out on your own can be nice, sometimes you really want to spend some time with your partner (or you may not have a partner that can watch your kids). Sometimes, you really need to look to a neighbor for help. Find someone that you can trust as you’ll be leaving your kids alone with them for some period of time. Depending on how mature your child is and how they act, you may need to pay for your neighbor to watch your child, but it can be absolutely worth it.

If you’re paying for a neighbor to watch your child, then you can plan to be away for a longer period of time (you’ll pay for it). If they’re simply watching your child for you for free, then don’t take too much advantage of it - you want them to be willing to do it again in the future. If they also have kids, then you could come to an agreement with them wherein you trade who watches each other's kids so that you can both get out of the home.

Put your kids to bed early

If you simply have no one that you can get to watch your kids, and TV isn’t working, then you can try to find a night to put your kids to bed early by an hour one night. This will provide you some quiet time on your own while your kids are in their beds. You don’t get to leave the house, but there are plenty of ways to relax at home.

The big problem with this idea is that a lot of times your child won’t actually be able to sleep an hour earlier than normal. You may end up spending more time trying to get them to go to sleep than actually relaxing. You should really only use this method if you know your child is overly tired or simply have no other alternatives.

Conclusion

Sometimes you need a break. Going constantly as a parent is stressful and at some point you will break if you don’t get away and spend some time for yourself. Figure out how to get a break when you need it.