Soooo Busted

Upon my Mother In Laws suggestion I learned to adopt "Mother's Day Off" when my Dear Husband was deployed. 

It wasn't really a day off, it was more or less a day every couple of weeks, where we broke routine, and rested and played.   It was a day where pillows and blankets were thrown on the floor, and everyone including Mom got to stay in pajamas.    It was the easy meal days, cereal, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, or something delivered to the house. 

I would suggest you try it, at least once...but...

I make this suggestion with one, minor warning.

It seemed that every time I would take a "Mother"s Day Off"...The doorbell would ring.  Of course I would answer it looking like a wild woman, still in pajamas at 2:00pm in the afternoon.  It would be a friend stopping by, or a neighbor selling something for school, the postman. 

They would back up, looking concerned for me, taking in the whole picture, pajamas, hair in a clippy on my head, no makeup..and they would offer...  "Are you OK?  I was just going by and thought we would stop by and surprise you with a visit".  I would jump into a monologue of sorts.

Explaining, that I  was not living in my pajamas, I just do do it  a couple of times a month. 

They always left "are  you sure?", and I would be left saying sure I am fine, we are good. 

One neighbor got so good at timing the visits they made, that they never recognized me when I was dressed normally, and had my make up on.  I would see them at the market, and I would greet them with a cheery "hello", only to see them looking confused and scrolling a memory bank deep in the recesses of their brain. 

I had to introduce myself to him every single time. 

So Mothers Day Off gets the thumbs up from me.  In fact, I still do it every once in a while. 

Just be prepared for company.  OH, and own at least one really darling set of pajamas to go to the door in!

Comments

[Joann]

I love "Mothers Day Off" or "Me Time" as I like to call it. Of course it never ends the way you imagine it to be. I always in up thinking of stuff I need to catch up on like getting the kids their shots, getting the car worked on, shopping for what we may need at the house and of course cleaning the house. Why can't we just take a day off from it all? Humm...maybe because we can't sit around and watch the dishes pile up. *laughing* Aside from all the extra things we need to do I try to take a day off for myself to just relax and sleep for as long as I want :)

[Tink]

You mean there is something else to wear around the house besides pj's and hair thingys? Darn, now I have to go shopping.

[Denise]

Just recently my Dr prescribed "me time". I informed my DH about the Dr's orders. Which really didn't affect him because he is TDY training but at least he was being supportive. So for two weeks we relaxed. # 2 Teen loved it because there wasn't any dish chores since we were eating out or delivery. By the end of the two weeks I felt completely refreshed. It was definantly worth wild to follow Dr's orders :)

[Margaret Mann]

Actually you should dry the "Mother's Day Off" regardless if your husband/ spouse is deployed. Or even if you are not a mother or parent

I always called them my "Do Nothing Days" until of course I become inspired to actually do something.

It is amazing how rejuvenated
you feel.

[Armywifetoddlermom]

I think Denise and Margaret both offer GREAT points here!! I still do pajama days, and "easy days"...

it is good medicine, for ANYONE. I think we are often to HARD ourselves...think EVERYTHING must be DONE NOW...

it does not.

It is always best to take care of ourselves first.

[tankerswife]

I don't take a whole day off at a time, but I grab moments when I can. It may be going to get my nails done, or the twice a year hair appt. But I always grab a little time sometime, or I get VERY cranky. I've also learned that the kids aren't going to be irrepairably damaged by having a quick fix dinner or even take out once a week or so.

[GBear]

Papa Bear was TDY for seven months this year. While he wasn't deployed, he was still gone. For the boys and I, this meant "Two for Tuesday" nights! Thank God for Domino's Pizza!

We'd get homework/work/chores done and veg the rest of the night with Pizza and a Movie! We all looked forward to Tuesday nights and sort of miss it now. Since Papa Bear is out of town again next week - guess who'll be ringing my doorbell on Tuesday night - besides trick or treaters!?!?