Originally Posted by cheerfuldom:
No matter your job, there just isn't a lot of "me" time when you have kids. Thats just the facts of life. If you needs hours and hours of me-time a week, you should think very hard about having kids. The only time I am ever away from the kids is if I happen to run an errand by myself and dad is watching all three at home. It's been over a year since I had any me-time. The closest I get is a shower to myself. But thats just the way it is. I'm a mom, it's my job to be there when my kids need me and as they are all under 4, thats ALL the time. I really don't have a ton of sympathy for any mom no matter what your job. A movie with a girlfriend every now and then, sure....but hours and hours every week is just not realistic and not what is best for the kids.
I agree 100% with this post. I've done both - I worked outside the home when my DD was little, only started the daycare when I knew I'd have a 2nd child. I KNOW working outside the home is exhausting and stressful and all that. Not going to argue that fact or even debate how it compares to what we do. BUT you have a child, a child who is away from you 40-50 hours a week already - you need to make the most of the time you have with them. Unregistered - sounds like you do that and I agree that the occassional "me time" is nice and warranted. But too many times we see the kids that are with us 50 hours a week, go home at 5pm and have a 7:30 bedtime (and you don't know how many complaints that I get that I'm not open later despite parents getting out of work at 3:30-4pm) and how often I hear on a monday morning how parents went to concerts, parties, whatever and how kids spent the weekend at grandma's because mom's needed a "break" from them. It all boils down to the child, parents need to spend time with their kids. Your "me time" comes when they are older and want nothing to do with you!!
I have no issues with the parent who takes an occassional personal day and the child still comes to me, but I do feel bad for the child who's parent has an ENTIRE weeks vacation and the child comes all day everyday because the parent "has stuff to do" and the child who gets shipped off to grandma every weekend because mom had such a stressful week at work.
