I Went On Vacation With My Husband And Didn’t Miss Our Kids
A few weeks ago, my husband and I embarked on a long-awaited, mommy-and-daddy-only vacation out of the country. Before our trip, I was a nervous wreck, planning the kids’ whereabouts down to the last detail and making sure Grandma knew just how to get the cheesy noodles perfectly cheesy. I worried that my demanding little darlings would run my in-laws ragged, disrupting their peaceful retired lives. I pictured calm Grandpa, who never says no, regretting his decision within five minutes. And I fretted over the handoff from the in-laws to my mom, who, bless her heart, doesn’t have a single cooking bone in her body (I’m still not sure how we survived growing up).
But hey, the grandparents always say they want more time with the grandkids, so … BON VOYAGE!
The morning of our 5 a.m. flight arrived, and soon, we were jetting off, flying over our sleeping babes. For the first couple of days, we made a point to call the kids before school and at bedtime. They seemed to be having a blast with Grandma and Grandpa following the usual routine: school, T-ball, dinner, and bed. The same old schedule, just minus Mommy and Daddy.
As the days went by, our FaceTimes became less frequent.
We tried to call at least once a day, but sometimes we had a poor connection, or only one of the kids felt like talking. We spoke about the kids between sips of rum punches and lounging on the beach, but our conversations didn’t revolve solely around them. We had adult conversations about our future and where we envisioned ourselves in the next few years. We talked about the goals we wanted to achieve and how we planned to reach them. We discussed what we wanted for our children and how we ultimately hoped to live our lives.
Dreaming about your ideal life is easy when you’re basking by the Caribbean Sea, miles away from the rat race of daily responsibilities. But it’s also important to take a breather every once in a while, to reconnect with your spouse and reassess your current situation. It’s nice to regroup and get back on the same page after months of feeling like you’re in the same carnival but on different rides.
On the final day of vacation, we FaceTimed the kiddos before heading to the airport. As much as I wanted to stay longer (ready to live that ex-pat life, just send the kids!), I could hear the longing in their voices. They were ready for Mommy and Daddy to come home and shower them with love. And, truth be told, I was too.
Taking time away from the kids to recharge and reconnect with my husband gave us the opportunity to reset our priorities and focus on each other. It was a breath of fresh, tropical air, and it reminded me that sometimes it’s okay to leave the kids behind and enjoy some quality adult time. Besides, it’s good to give the grandparents some grandkid-filled chaos now and then – and understand why my house is always messy and I seem scatterbrained half the time!
