Last weekend my husband and I enjoyed two relaxing nights away from our kids. We stayed at a beautiful Inn an hour away from home in Southport, Maine, where we did nothing but eat, drink, soak up the sun, and relax. It was AMAZING. Seriously, I had no idea how much I needed a few days away. We walked around Boothbay Harbor and enjoyed the shops, lunch on the deck overlooking the ocean, and an ice cream cone. I took a dip in the saltwater pool, read an entire book, and sat next to a fire pit each evening sipping on delicious cocktails. We splurged on a nice dinner both nights, slept in both days, and indulged in a delicious breakfast buffet with eggs, blueberry pancakes, sausage, and bacon. It felt like a second honeymoon!
Moms and dads, I urge you to make yourselves a priority and get away. I know many of you are thinking; “I can’t leave my kids” or “I don’t have the money.” I had the same thought many times. We found the Inn through Groupon to get a discounted rate. And we used the money we had received for our Anniversary and my birthday to pay for our meals. Normally, I would have put that money into our savings account or spend it on my kids, instead of actually using it as intended and splurging on myself.
Leaving my kids is really hard for me. I appreciate a break, but it took me half a day to really relax (which is quicker than I expected). My parents came to watch our kids and I completely trust them, but I still worry about something terrible happening when I’m not there. I also really struggle with splurging on a nice hotel, dinner, and drinks when we live on such a tight budget. I really had to work hard to let go, and I did!
What really helped me to relax and stop worrying was when I changed my mindset. Some may say it’s irresponsible to treat yourself to a weekend away when you live on such a tight budget, but I looked at it as a medical expense. Yes, it’s an expense necessary for my mental health. Sounds a little crazy, but when you live three hours from the closest grandparent and have very few options for childcare, a weekend away is crucial to your mental health and I firmly believe time away from your kids, both small breaks and big ones like this, make me a better parent.
Cheers to taking some time for yourself and making your mental health a priority!
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