I’m not solely fulfilled by arse wiping, snack fetching and after school sports.
And I refuse to sacrifice my ENTIRE being, body, mind and soul to them.
Yes I love them, would do anything for them, but I also love my husband and our relationship. And let’s face it, if it weren’t for that, they wouldn’t be here!
In 20 years time, am I going to turn around to my husband and go, “Oh. You. I kinda remember you. Weren’t you that guy who hit on me at the gym about 30 years ago? You were? Well, shit. How ’bout that.”
That might be optimistic to think my kids will move out in their 20’s but I sure as shit aren’t going to house them until they’re 30.
When children leave the home, if the couple haven’t invested in their relationship for the last 2 decades, there won’t be any one else around to distract them from it.
It also boils down to loving and caring for yourself.
There’s a reason airlines tell parents to put their own oxygen masks on first.
You can’t take care of others if you haven’t taken care of yourself. So off the kids go to the grandparents….
However, many couples aren’t in a position where they have family nearby that can grant them the luxury of an entire weekend of rumpy pumpy. Or just doing whatever it is they like without dolling out snacks and refereeing a cage fight every seven-and-a-half minutes. Or even annoying a whole weekend without stepping on a single Lego.
Happy parents makes for happy kids.
And if you as parents are totally fulfilled by living your life for your kids and that’s what makes you happy, then you go for it. High five!
But we also like sleeping past 5:20am. It makes us happy.
We’ll pick up the kids after we have coffee and croissants, wink wink!