To think it’s normal to want a break sometimes?

[BananaSlug]

I’m part of a few single parent groups on Facebook. I’m a lone parent as in I don’t get days / weekends off. One thing I’ve noticed on these groups is some single mums shaming other mums for saying they need or want a break from their children, it’s the holidays so I will be with mine 24/7 for 6 weeks all day every day, so of course at this point I would love a few hours to myself but apparently that means you don’t love your children and I’ve been told I shouldn’t have had children if I didn’t want to be with them 24/7! I’ve also witnessed another mum asking how others are “surviving” the holidays being told that they thought she was referring to an abusive relationship not the kids she “chose” to have. Aibu to say it’s normal for parents to want a break sometimes? I would have expected other single parents to understand.

Can't bear parenting martyrdom. Of course it's normal to want a break. I do and I'm not a single parent!

Agree with this.

No it's not unreasonable, some people just love to feel superior. I was a lone parent for 3 years (embarrassingly while DDs father was in prison) and then from 3 we coparented so I have been in both situations and my lord its like another world having the weekends back when she is at her dad's. I love her dearly but I work full time and have a number of health conditions that make me exhausted anyway, having the EOW break means that I'm a better parent to her on the 12 days a fortnight I have her

Breaks were essential for my mental health when the kids were small. Holidays were a slog.

Some people are weird. Don’t take on the mum guilt YANBU!

I tried to point out that being with children 24/7 is different to parenting them alone 24/7 and if you have a partner you still get alone time occasionally as there is another parent to take other but when you are a lone parent that is not the case.

You do not need to justify yourself.
There are no medals or awards for them for allegedly wanting to spend every second of every day with their beloved little darlings (which I very much doubt us the case anyway).

YANBU X

I think it's weird to want to spend all your time with anyone! I'd go batty without time to myself. And no one enjoys parenting all the time. Those who say they do are lying. Sometimes it's shit and tiring and you just need an hour or two without someone talking at you.

I had a conversation after my husband died saying I would like some sort of break from my children and how overwhelming it was to suddenly be sole carer 24/7. She said that she 'loved her children too much' to ever feel that she would want a break from them ever.

Clearly I didn't love mine as much...

Of course YANBU, they are martyrs who probably won't let themselves have a moan about their kids.
I ADORE my boys, I still love my days when they're at their dads 😆. I recharge and it makes me a better mum.

I do often see posts from single mums saying their kids are away and they can’t bare to be apart from them one even said she can’t bare in when they are at school so I guess some can’t understand that not everyone feels the same and not everyone enjoys it 24/7. I also think it’s good for the kids to get a break as well surely?! And be around other people?

I enjoyed even an hour away. Just to refill the tank and be ready for the next adventure. When we visited my parents my dad would take them all outside to kick ball or whatever. It was heaven. A quiet cup of tea: bliss. And mine were easy at a young stage and l had dh to parent alongside.
Enjoy every break you get. It's even good for the dc and healthy all round.