Before you think this ain’t gonna happen, wait first.
Read and then if you still feel the same, then that’s okay.
Motherhood is a joy. It’s a world of beautiful discovery. One that can get overwhelming and exhausting per time. This is one reason for you to sometimes travel away to rejuvenate yourself.
And then there is your marriage. Let me tell you; the first few months of having my baby was tough. It didn’t help that my husband was not able to be on paternity leave early. We were not husband and wife at that time. We became Mum and Dad. Our lives became mostly about keeping our new born alive. Checking in with one another took some deliberate effort because if he ever looked like he was enjoying himself (especially with his work), I hated him for it. Because I didn’t have that luxury. I went into bolts of depression. And it literally took the doctors telling my husband to find a way to get me out of the house without our kid, for me to begin to heal. It was at that time that we also felt that we had neglected ourselves as a couple. So, we knew we needed to fix that. And we have been doing it ever since.
So many mums feel solo travels areselfish. How dare you travel without your kids? If you knew you wouldn’t be able to care for them, why did you have them? Well, I understand Mum Guilt. I feel my fair share of them. And I understand burn out, and Lord knows, I have had my fair share of that as well.
Solo travel is not only a service to yourself, but a gift to your partner and kids.
You get to rejuvenate yourself –Relax without having any kid mount on you.
Have intelligent conversations with adults like you –While our kids are geniuses, daily conversations with kids can feel redundant at times. That’s why you need the stimulation of adult conversation to feel sharp again and be inspired.
Experience the world on your own terms –Without a care for whether the place you are visiting is kid friendly or not. Read books, learn a new skill.
Be re-introduced to yourself again –This is so important. Oftentimes, mothers get so lost in their duty that we forget who we are as individuals. Travelling for a few days can help you find yourself.
You also demonstrate to your kids thatself care is important.
Then come back rejuvenatedwith a new level of appreciation for yourself, a new found confidence in your role as the “life giver” to your family and a happier and healthier version of you.
If you are travelling with your partner, without your kids;
It is a good time to catch up on yourselves as a couple
Mourn the death of your lives before kids and craft a new version of you with kids that is happy, sane and healthy.
The unrestricted sex is amazing! (Trust me😉)
And you get to revisit your family goals and objectives.
Time away alone as a mum or with your partner, without your kid(s) is anything but selfish. It is a service to your own mental health, to the independence of your children and the happiness and joy in your home.
And having someone else watch your kids may just be the kick/reminder you need to truly believe that you cannot do parenting alone.