Do you spend time away from your kids? Clingy – a term commonly used to describe an object or a person that clings. This is the perfect adjective I would use to describe my son. He is 9 years old. Well, he’s not that clingy anymore since he now wants to spend more time with his dad, but I still feel like we are connected by umbilical cord. Recently, the cord was put to the test with my 4 days 3 nights trip to Manila.
It’s Good to Spend Time Away From Your Kids
This year, I’ve been spending time away from my kids. I say kids because I am referring to my husband and my son (haha). But, seriously, this is the first time, after a long time, that I am traveling with friends again. From my trips, I learned that it’s good to spend time away from your kids for the following reasons:
1. Re-discover Yourself
Naturally, we all go into supermom mode once our youngins pop out of us, but in the process, we lose our identities. I used to be a bookie, reading classical novels like Dorian Gray or Anne of Green Gables. Now that I am working as a full-time freelance writer as well as a full-time mom, I cannot afford to spend time reading. When I go on trips away from my son, I get to do the things I did before.
2. Relax, Obviously
I wake up at 5am. Sometimes, I wake up at 6am. As soon as I open my eyes, I check my phone for emails, I wake my son up and then ready his uniform, breakfast and the rest of the shebang. At 7am, I start work. I have breakfast (brunch, actually) at 11am, and my day goes on. When I’m on one of my trips, I get to wake up without worrying about my son getting ready for school.
3. See Through Your Own Eyes
When you spend time away from your kids, you get to see things through your own eyes instead of your kids’ eyes. Whatever you’re looking at, you’ll form your own appreciation of it. On my recent trip, I visited the Manila International Book Fair at MOA. If I had my son with me, he would have preferred going somewhere else like Kidzania.
4. Taste What You Want
Whenever I’m with my family, we usually go to the same places because my son’s a picky eater. All he wants to eat is chicken, that’s it. I can’t exactly go to Korean or Japanese restos because, of course, I have to make way for his preferences. But, when I go on my trips, I can go to whatever resto I want to taste what I want.
5. Become Thankful That You’re A Mom
Admit it, we don’t always get to experience moments when we feel that being a mom is the best thing in the world. We’re human, after all – we get stressed, we get annoyed with our children’s continuous badgering, we get hungry, and we get overwhelmed. However, after every trip, I always feel thankful for the motherhood that was given to me. After you spend time away from your kids, I guarantee that you will feel the same feeling.
Glad that you can spend time for yourself