I’m getting on a plane (without my kids!)

On Friday, I’m doing something that I feel a bit – a lot – weird about. I’m getting on a plane without my kids!  My friend and fellow blogger BeachLifeEtc and I are going to Northern Ireland to visit another friend for the weekend. No kids, no partners – we have arranged this weekend for no other reason but that we fancy doing it.

I don’t feel weird about going away without my kids – wider family commitments have taken me away quite a lot over the last year. They didn’t like it much at first but understood the reasons for me going, and got used to having lots of bonus Daddy time.

This time, my going away has been a bit more tricky to explain – I had a chat with my daughter last week that went something like this…

‘So who are you going to visit, Mum?’

‘Two old friends who I don’t see enough of’

‘Oh – what’s wrong with them, are they ill?’

‘No…’

‘Is one of them having a baby and needs some help, then?’

‘Err…no’ (at least I flipping hope not – there is Guinness to be drunk in Ireland you know!)

‘Oh, I know, is it another one of those fewn-fewl-foon – well, you know those things you have when people die?’

‘No sweetheart, it’s not a funeral’.

Silence. Then,

‘So if you don’t need to help anyone and there are no babies and nobody is dead, why are you going away then?’ *Hard stare*

OH THE GUILT….

My rational head tells me that I need this, that I deserve it even. I know that making an effort to have a break every now and then, and do something for ME will make me a better mother.

I also know that friendships deserve time and effort. To be brutally honest, my efforts at being a friend have been on hold to a greater or lesser extent while I have navigated the last few years. Either because my friends have kids themselves and are in the same boat, or because they don’t and therefore I’ve felt far too boring and frumpy and kid-wrung-out to have the confidence to pick up the phone.

And guess what – I still feel kidknackered, boring and frumpy – but that isn’t going to change any time soon unless I make an effort to bring some non-child fun into my life, and I think it’s about time I girded my loins and did just that. So here’s to friends and seeing a bit more of them!

Aaaaahh...Guiness

Oh…still here? Well done, I always thought most people gave up half way through. Anyway, since you ARE still here, and if you’ve got nothing better to do, I’d absolutely love it if you felt that LearnerMother was worthy of a nomination for ‘Best New Blog’ in the MAD Blog Awards….THANK YOU!

MAD Blog Awards

Like this? You might also like these:

  • Beach Buddies in Northern IrelandBeach Buddies in Northern Ireland It seemed such a long time ago that my chum Tanya from BeachLifeEtc and I booked flights to see our lovely friend Jo in Northern Ireland, that I was almost surprised when last Friday came […]
  • City of Zombies Board Game – GiveawayCity of Zombies Board Game – Giveaway One of the fab things about having another life as an accidental games shop owner is we get to play loads of games 'for work'. It's obviously not possible for each of us to have played […]
  • Blogging and kidsBlogging and kids I had a message from someone the other day in response to a post on my blog; it was a private message, because as she said, ‘my elder two don’t need to see their mother’s issues on social […]

46 thoughts on “I’m getting on a plane (without my kids!)

  1. Fantastic post, I understand how you feel, I feel quilt any time I do something without kids, and that’s not often. Fo for it on behalf of saddo mums like me , enjoy and have a Guinness for me.

  2. Good for you! I just booked a baby and husband free holiday for November to Marrakech. I feel guilty already but know that by the time November rolls around my daughter will be 17 months old and I will need a break from the chasing and picking food up off the floor. Plus my MIL apparently WANTS to have her for a week! ha!

    Enjoy Ireland!
    Lauren recently posted…A catch up and new start…My Profile

  3. Reading this so reminds me of Aaron. He is very literal. I know it is not the same circumstances but he asked me the other day who was coming to visit. He couldn’t understand that I would tidy the kitchen just because it needed doing he was convinced someone would be coming over – I know that reflects badly on me oooops!

    You go, and enjoy your Guinness. I am Irish and a BIG fan of the black stuff although if you go to the Guinness brewery you’ll find out it’s not black – you probably know that already.

    Have fun!

    Liska x
    Liska @NewMumOnline recently posted…The Quest for the Right Vitamin Water – not all Vitamin Waters are created equalMy Profile

  4. Have a great time! We’re going away and leaving the three children with my mum and dad in May for 2 nights. This will be the first time we’ve left the twins who are now 2! I’m feeling both excited and nervous. Hope you have a great time x #blogclub

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *