The next two weekends are call weekends — for Josh, not me. I commented recently that I’m not dreading these swathes of time as much as I used to.
Maybe it turns out that remaining housebound is the easiest way to raise children.
(Not really, but I don’t really miss taking the trio to places by myself as much as I thought I would.)
Mostly Solo Parenting Weekend Pre-Covid:
- Up (typically when kids up, sneak in early workout — usually a run — if especially motivated)
- Clean up a little while they have breakfast
- OUTING – children’s museum, playdate, playground, something. For years I thought getting out of the house was key to survival.
- Lunch out (often Panera etc or at museum restaurant)
- Home for G’s nap. Often get workout in during this time if not in AM. I honestly can’t remember when we started implementing this as screen time for A&C, but I don’t feel like they were able to do this as independently pre-pandemic.
- Kids play/etc. Sometimes second stint outside IF I have the energy (which . . .was not always the case)
- Dinner – takeout or leftovers usually
- G in bed by ~8 and big kids ~8:30
Mostly Solo Parenting Weekend Mid-Pandemic:
(which by the way – we are in an alarming surge in FL. Yesterday’s peak dwarfed all prior ones. Peak is reflected in hospital census. $*&@(#! They did finally close the bars.)
- Up early (5:15) to have quiet time before kids up AND get in workout. Beachbody 80 Day Obsession #37 AAA on the docket for today.
- Kids up (anywhere from 6:45-9ish depending on kid and day) – breakfast, play, etc.
- Outside. Walk, scooter, or bike around neighborhood. Variations: “nature walk”; “flower walk”; playing “I’m so hot” (game where we make up phrases to try to describe how hot we all are; chalk on driveway; etc. (I DO MISS PLAYGROUNDS, A LOT.)
- Home when we cannot take heat anymore (usually after 1-1.5 hours). Play inside.
- Lunch at home (yesterday = snack plate. Must remember this easy and popular lunch option.)
- G nap / big kids screen / ME TIME. Time to nap, read, journal, etc. NOT time for chores. I can do those while the kids entertain themselves.
- G up – pool time OR just play time OR sometimes I let her watch a baby show. Sometimes the big kids will sit there with her mesmerized by a show created for 18 month olds. Ha. Baths usually in this window. Often FaceTime w/ family (sister or parents)
- Dinner (SATURDAY = TAKEOUT NIGHT! // SUNDAY = COOK) – we are getting pizza tonight and I am already excited.
- Movie for kids / clean up / read / etc.
- Kids bed by ~9:30ish.
Definitely different but not really any worse or harder.
HERE WE GO!
13 Comments
We used to think we had to go somewhere every day on the weekend with our kiddo to ensure he was entertained enough and thought it helped his behavior. While I miss a lot of things, have some lazy weekend days isn’t all bad. Hoping once things are better (whenever that is?!) we find a balance and keep some more unstructured weekend time.
Man, this one really resonated with me. My husband would frequently work 12 hour shift weekends and it was HARD. I had two boys under two up until around COVID 19 happened and since then both have developmentally become easier to handle. Plus, my husband now only works one weekend per month.
I definitely miss playgrounds too. We have one in our tiny neighborhood that I am sometimes tempted to sneak onto in the early hours of the day.
Here’s to an awesome, laidback, fun weekend!
We love a snack meal in our house! It has become our new Saturday night dinner as it only requires assembly and not cooking. Weekends do get easier as kids get older. Thinking of you as the FL cases uptick, it’s surprising to me that bars are open anywhere right now.
Ease of staying in might also be related to age of kids, who can play with each other or independently. I miss easy unsupervised play dates a lot.
I love seeing the nitty gritty of how people make it all work. I have been trying to give my5 year old some one on one time during my 2 year old nap but gosh I’m getting desperate for more alone time as we are all home so much in. My introverted self struggles with my kids being around and talking to me non-stop! I feel so bad that we spend most time doing things appropriate for a 2 year old- I bet A andC are benefiting from having a sibling closer in age right now. My 2 year old loves being with his big sister all day but I don’t think it’s really reciprocated!
I listened to an epidemiologist talk about some of the COVID risks – he’s usually on the VERY alarmist side of things, and in this (https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/06/22/michael-osterholm-assesses-covid-risks) he talks about surface vs air risks and said that surface risks (like playgrounds!) are super minimal and that the real risk is the other kids. Since hearing that I’ve been letting my kids play on playgrounds if they are completely empty (so, basically we have to be there at about 8am) and it is so nice! However, I’m in MN and our cases are fairly stable right now – I’d probably feel differently in FL.
I also was a ‘get out and go’ type of person pre-covid and after 3 months have really adjusted to the slower pace and have done a lot to make my house/yard the type of place I’d like to hang out – a lot of changes I should have made years ago! My kids are a bit older than yours (10, 8 and nearly 5) and I do think the increase in ages makes it a lot easier to just hang out at home without feeling totally stifled. Ask me about this again in November and I’m sure I’ll have a very different response…… really dreading making it through winter on lockdown!
I am not worried about playground surfaces BUT all of the playgrounds i have seen around have caution tape and signs around them 🙁
I head this podcast the other day (https://www.npr.org/2020/06/18/880584874/kids-know-how-to-occupy-themselves-we-need-to-let-them-do-it) and feel like it relates strongly to your experiences with weekends and kids home more.
very interesting to see. actually it made me realize our routine on weekends didn’t change that much pre and post or mid-covid. I guess it’s more the mental block that we are not allowed to do certain things that feel strange.
Olives are a great addition to the snack-meal if your kids are into them.
Honestly your weekends sound pretty similar pre and post covid, with a neighborhood outing replacing a museum. Glad you’re enjoying yourself more though!
I have given up on dragging Dylan out. The whining and crying are too much, and ruin whatever kind of outdoor excursion we are on. I don’t really blame her. Summer in the swamp is hot and gross.
they love olives 🙂
something about piling into the car vs not makes it feel very different to me but you’re right structure is similar.
also they stay up later now and sleep in more . . . which I greatly prefer.
I, too, find it sort of interesting that my kids really don’t seem to miss going places! I know you have mentioned this before, that your kids seem more relaxed and less stressed without all the activities. My boys are usually SUPER busy, and now that we have been home mostly for months, I expected they would be going nuts. Nope! My oldest, especially- if we say we are going somewhere now (which is pretty rare that he even needs to come along)- he actually COMPLAINS! I’m like, seriously??! You have hardly left the house since March! He honestly seems perfectly content with being home all the time and his only “outings” being bike rides and things like that. Maybe part of it is just a pre-teen/ almost 12 year old thing. But they certainly don’t seem to be chomping at the bit to get back to normal life in many ways.
The snack plate has been one of my daughter’s favourite meals for years. So quick and easy!