A couple of weeks ago, I did a week of solo parenting. I was doing my best to stay upbeat but the days were long and by the end, I was pretty exhausted. Here were a few things we did to keep our spirits up:
painting our toenails
(Otis chose a surprisingly subdued lavender shade, but probably because he didn’t know that alternating hot pink and red toes were an option.)
drinking really good coffee
They definitely recognize us as regulars now. A nice treat doesn’t hurt, either. There were a lot of treats that week. Everybody needed them.
food exchange with our good friend/neighbor
We’ve been doing this for a while (we exchange one meal each week) and boy was I grateful for this. I did little cooking otherwise.
dinner with friends
We usually try not to do too much socializing mid-week, but adult conversation was a real boost. Sharing a glass of wine didn’t hurt, either.
silliness
Especially when I really didn’t feel like it, things like taking pictures of ourselves did wonders for me.
What do you do when you solo parent? I foresee more solo parenting in my future, and I definitely need more tips in my arsenal!
Solo can be so hard! I sometimes save errand until the afternoon/evening between dinner and bed. That seems to be the hardest time for us because we’re used to Daddy popping in and making all things fun. Meandering through Trader Joes or Target can be a fun pick me up and sometimes we get a fun snack or craft for the next morning as well. I also schedule play dates at our home. It give me a reason freshen up the house a little more and it’s nice to have a little fun and distraction in our own space. I also try to have a project to work on in the evening when the kids are in bed.
Yes, my house was a total mess then, and it is a complete disaster now that he’s been super busy. I definitely agree that having guests is a good incentive for cleaning!
And you seem ambitious to have projects! I just want to collapse, though on good nights, I turn off the computer and TV and read for a while, which makes me so good that I always wonder why I don’t do it more.
Dinner out with friends is my big treat when I’m on my own with the kids. This solo thing is starting to happen so often though that I’m beginning to worry that treating ourselves is not a permanent solution. Agreed that sometimes going to a big bright store in the evening can help. The other night I made pancakes for dinner (with chocolate, bananas and strawberries) and it cheered everyone up considerably.
My kids LOVE breakfast for dinner! It’s so much fun and makes it seem like Opposite Day. And yes, it is a dilemma when solo starts to happen so much that you have to rethink your solutions. sigh. I feel you.
ooh… definitely agree with Mrs. G–breakfast for dinner was always fun for me when dad was out of town. And my mom loves to tell the story when my older brother asked “how come we always have the good food when dad is gone?” and he was referring to hot dogs and macaroni & cheese. i feel like i’ve shared that before, but it is the epitome of my brother, and probably a lot of kids…
That’s funny, Claire. I’m always saying that my kids are so spoiled with home cooking that boxed mac ‘n cheese always seems like a treat. From now on, cereal for dinner! That would kill two birds with one stone, since it is also breakfast for dinner!