I realised recently that I don't really enjoy 'all together' time with my family

[LoneLoner]

DH and two DSC.

I'm very much an introvert, I enjoy my own company and always have. I was also an only child, not sure if that's relevant but sometimes I think it is.

I realised recently that I don't really enjoy, or don't enjoy as much anyway, the times we are all together. It's mainly weekend as that's when it's full days but also the weekday evenings.

I've recently been furloughed and DH is still working. I find I can't wait until I'm on my own again. Instead of enjoying the weekends we all spend together I just can't wait until I can have a bit of time to myself during the week.

Does anyone else get like this? It's genuinely not because I dislike anyone. I just start to feel very overwhelmed when we're all together and I want to take myself off for periods of the day to be alone (I try not to do this as much as poss though).

I'm sat here this evening and I just can't wait until tomorrow morning when everyone leaves and the house is calm and quiet and I'm on my own for a bit.

[MattBerrysHair]

I totally understand that OP. I'm an introvert and Exh and I share 50/50 residency of the DC. By the end of a full-on day with the DC I find myself clock-watching, looking forward to time to myself when they go to bed. At the end of my week with them I breathe a big sigh of relief when they go back to their dad's! The relief lasts about a day and then I miss them again.

[skankingpiglet]

YANBU but many people (paddington bear stare at DH) won't get it. Feeling utterly overwhelmed with noise and touching and rarely being alone has been the hardest thing of us all being home.

[Thighmageddon]

I love my family but Christ alive I'm done with the house being full all the time.

"Mum, mum, Thigh, Mum" Stop it, just stop talking to me, go away.

I can't wait to go back to work to talk to other people that don't live in my bloody house.

And when I have days off in the week and the house is empty and the only breathing I can hear is mine and the dog's.

[raspberryk]

I'm like this with my own kids sometimes. I love bedtime and when they go to their dad's. 8 week school holidays/lockdown is so draining.

[DuckALaurent]

I’m the same OP. I NEED peace and time alone to recharge. Too much time with other people drains me. Just the way I am. DH has been furloughed and DD isn’t likely to be back at school until at least Sept. we live in a small house. I’m not sure how much more I can take.

I need DH at least to go back to work. Then at least DD (teen) spends a lot of time in her room and I’ll get some level of solitude 🙏

[LoneLoner]

Thanks. I feel bad though because DH is working in the week and the kids go back to their mums during the day (bar the odd few days I've looked after them). So should I be looking forward to those few days we spend all together?! Really I don't though. I just try to 'get through' them at the moment until I can be on my own again!

[yearinyearout]

I know what you mean. My two are grown up and live away, but one is home for lockdown and I feel suffocated sometimes. I'm not even getting out for a walk on my own as she always wants to come with me.

I'm also guilt ridden because I feel like I should be relishing this time together. If I could just have a couple of hours in the house to myself each day I would be enjoying it a lot more.

[rayoflightboy]

@LoneLoner you must be my twin.
I really need solitude.I cant even go for a coffee or the library.It times like these you realise what you take for granted.

[ShebaShimmyShake]

Everyone who lives with kids craves time alone, introvert or not.