How often do you get breaks from your kids?

How often are you getting a break from your kids? Trying to see what is considered normal when it comes to breaks.

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Under 3yo- almost never. 7 years into parenting and I’ve had one girls night out although heavily pregnant at the time. Now I get some pre/school days but I haven’t been away or had a weekend off yet

My oldest is 8 and my youngest is 3. Aside from labor and delivery and work, I’ve had one weekend child free since my oldest was born. And I would say less than 10 times have they been watched so I could do anything for a couple of hours (date nights, deep clean, etc.)
I don’t have family or friends that’s willing to help me like that

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I’m their parent I don’t do “breaks”

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I’ve none im a sole parent lol. Think depends on circumstances

When they’re at school then all me

It depends on your circumstances. I volunteer a lot during the summer into football season - so usually one or 2 weekends a month, the kids are with their dad while I’m up in Cleveland. It’s usually Saturday evening til Sunday evening from June til January. Then in January, I get slammed with work and I’m too busy for anything again til the spring. :woman_shrugging:t2:

“Breaks from your kid(s)” not a phrase I’m familiar with - or necessarily even agree with.
Not my personal style, but interesting to see what everyone else’s perspective on this is.

I don’t think “breaks” from your children, that you chose to bring into this world and have as part of your life, should necessarily be expected.
Unless you mean, like, for showers :sweat_smile:
In which case, yeah, that doesn’t really happen either :joy:

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Ew that’s a weird way to word that :hushed: a little alone time yeah but why would you say you need a break from your kid that just sounds like you don’t care imo

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From 8a-3:00p Monday-Friday. When school is in session.

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Once a year in August for 5 days. That’s it lol.

When I’m asleep or there at school

Shouldn’t get breaks. They are your responsibility 24/7.

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My son is 5, the breaks i get are when he’s at school or asleep

You never get a so called " break" from your kids. You’re a parent 24/7 for the rest of their’s or yours life. Doesn’t matter if they’re 2 or 40 you are still the parent. I personally think you worry about them more when they are adults.

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When they’re at school. And they’ve had only a handful of sleepovers over the years.

I’m one of the lucky ones. My grandparents were still young enough and active enough to take my daughter once in a while for sleepovers. Sometimes for a week at a time for vacations to the lake. But I never knew what to do with myself during those times so I ended up just staying home and doing nothing.:joy: But they are getting older so my soon to arrive twins won’t have that same experience.

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You need to clarify what break means? What do you mean by breaks?? Like send them away somewhere? Time to get away for a bath/shower? A break for long periods? A dinner out?

I feel once you are a parent, you don’t get breaks? A dinner out, or trip to hair salon or grocery shopping alone is a treat for me?

I’m a single solo mom, we homeschool and I don’t trust daycare or sitters. So. It’s been 5 years and not 1 break. I’ve mom’ed 24/7/365

Technically you can have break time whenever you want if you have a reliable sitter but it’s hard to find someone you trust if they aren’t family. You’ll have a little more freedom when your kids start school but that’s likely the time you’ll spend doing chores and running errands.

I work 8hrs, I also hit gym 2-3 times a week. Playing volleyball 2 times a week. Once a year going for a week vacation. As long as you have someone to watch them it’s totally fine to get time for yourself, it’s healthy. If your not happy and healthy you can’t look after them healthy way

I get breaks from my children when they are in bed/school.

I get a break from my big kids (9/11) 9-3 for school but always have my 4 year old. So my actual free time is when they sleep so around 9 930 pm os when my free time starts.

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Once or twice a year at most. Usually my break from my kids is when I’m working and I work with kids anyway :person_shrugging:

You can’t pour from an empty cup momma.
My oldest is 11 and youngest now 5, when they were younger it was maybe once every other month. It’s very important for me to have time to be me and not mom. Now that they’re older it’s a little more frequent twice a month, maybe three. But I made that more of a priority in the more recent years. Some people can handle no breaks and be fine, others need breaks to be a better parent. Neither is right or wrong!

There is no normal. I think it depends on the age of the child, the help the parent or parents get, etc . What do you mean by a break? I get a free night every few months, but I am married and I have grandparents in town.

Once a month. Sometimes less.

I rarely had breaks till they got older. So I try to watch my grandkids whenever needed.

When they’re at school or sleeping lol.

Lately never. I homeschool and I’m starting to loss my tihs a little. Especially when dad comes home and criticizes how much work I can get them to do in a day. And I have 3 of them preschool (who thinks she’s always right and I’m always wrong), 2nd grader and 4th grader. Add on a 9 month old I’m exclusively pumping for and losing my supply because I’m expecting. But this is the last one. He’s getting fixed. Only “break” i get is when dad comes home and takes them outside so I can fix supper.

What are breaks? I never got any as I was /am a single parent. My break is that now my daughter has grown into a healthy and responsible adult.

You never really get a break, but if you have school aged children, I guess that would count or co parenting. Set a consistent bedtime for them each night, they’ll get much needed rest and you’ll have your time to relax, read or clean. :grimacing: :laughing: :two_hearts:

I’m with my 11 year old 24/7 expect when she’s in school. Or I’m just at a appointment or something

My kids are 15, 13 and 11. The older two spend a week with me and a week with their dad. I have the 11 yr old full time. Maybe once a month she’ll go spend a weekend with her friend. (The friend’s mom has been my co worker and best friend for 12 years)

Some of these comments did not pass the vibe check and it’s ridiculous, people act like it’s not normal to need a mental break or something! Personally my only break is when I go to work and it’s not even really a break because I work in memory care or LTC! But I do have a good baby sitter so honestly if I really needed a break I could technically have one but I stress myself out even when I’m not around my kids

I try and take a a few hours for myself now that they are in school atleast once a month I work M to W school hours . Hubby works M to Th 10 hour shifts. We also try and take a Friday a month for us too. (School hours)

As for a get away we went away for a night a little over a year ago. Took three people and school to cover us being gone :rofl::rofl::rofl:

… I get an hour and a half while he’s in preschool once a week and I have to do errands/grocery shopping/ ECT

Never!! They are always with me and I’ve been a stay at home mom 9 years

From 430am-3pm 5x a week :joy:

You are all worried about getting breaks now, but I’m going to tell you when they are grown and have their own lives. And barley acknowledge the fact you exist , it gets very lonely . Be careful what you wish for. Because soon they will have no time for you.

Right out the bat, there isn’t a “normal” amount. There is an amount that works best for your family. Everyone needs time to themselves and if you aren’t getting enough time to recharge and center yourself, then that is not normal and you need to talk to your partner or the people in your life for some help to get that time. The amount of time that you need to recharge is going to differ from family to family.

Mine are 15 and 18 so they’re in their bridge troll stage and only emerge from their caves every so often. Still gotta figure out what to make for dinner every night tho :unamused:

I usually start work between 8 and 9:30. My kid gets up for school around 7. I literally wake up no later than 5:30 to have some quiet time to myself.

Our kids are our priority but parents are still human beings too and we need something for ourselves. We need that time to just sit and relax and enjoy that quiet time alone. Whether it’s to mindlessly scroll SM or engage in a hobby. Unfortunately, we have to figure out ways that work for us to make it happen.

Ive been a parent for 24 years. I’ve never gotten a break.