Seriously - what do you do (home alone).

[Breadandsticks]

I’m alone this evening. No children no partner.

Im sitting on the sofa overwhelmed by what I could do (read, I don’t want to watch a show, draw…) that I’ve frozen and I’m doing absolutely nothing!

What does one do when they have a whole evening to themselves?

Why is it we dream of having a moment alone without the family and when we get the chance it feels like a paralysis.

Ooh, no, on your own is the best time to watch them!

It's whatever we get used to! When we're used to company and family time, it's switching from that to alone time! It's a bit of a transition, so I make a cuppa, run a bath, put whatever I want on the TV. Head to bed even just somewhere comfy to relax rather than to sleep.
Depends how much time we have. But can put music on and spend time making some food I really fancy. Might have to do a quick shop run to get some nice bits in and treats afterwards. Then I feel sorted for the night! 👌

We have different dietary desires/needs/wants so almost never all eat the same thing or at the same time.

I don’t think any families all sit in front of one tv watching the same thing anymore!

We all do what we want in our own spaces or in our living room.

But no I’m not going to allow cartoons on in the living room in the evening.

I knit and watch old tv series, do housework, find a cupboard to tidy, pamper myself. I do understand your problem though. I hate winter and the dark evenings. That’s why I do housework then. It leaves me the daylight hours to do stuff I like.

Such a brilliant series! Gary Oldman is superb.

Bizarrely last time I was alone, I watched 3 xmen movies. I’m not even a sci Fi person, I just got on it and kept going. Kids came back (with DH) and while I enjoyed the evening I felt I should have done more!

We don't have a TV, only a projector, so we all watch the same thing together! But we don't watch much - the DC might put some Bluey or Spidey on on a Saturday morning, and we watch a kids movie together on Friday nights; otherwise DH and I watch something together after the kids are in bed. I don't think that's particularly unusual.

In any case, on an evening to myself I might rearrange some furniture, do a DIY project, or try and tackle a job like sorting out all our paperwork or going through all the DC's clothes to weed out what doesnt fit and see what needs replacing. Also have a bath. Have gluten free calamari for dinner. Go to bed early.

Put on Netflix like a normal person. What a weird post.

Drink wine. Read a book. Have a bath.

Watch Greys Anatomy til my eyeballs bleed.

Home alone most of today. I dressed in winter warm PJ's (with bra, pants and socks as I feel weird without them).

Sat and knitted most of the day while watching various podcasts.

And, indulged in some amazing home alone food - cheese on toast, stewed apples & ice cream for dessert 😆.

Did the dishes and tidied the kitchen 10 minutes before DH got home 😉.

It's been a super Sunday.

When I'm alone I listen to podcasts and sew. Once it gets dark my eyesight's not great so I go to bed early with a cup of sleepy tea and a book. Quite happy to go to bed any time from 7 - I always think I'll read for hours but I'm usually asleep before 9. Then I'm up mega early the next morning and I can use the light to sew again. Heaven.

Whats weird is that you cant think of anything other than watching the TV.

More than weird, its quite sad.

Go for a really long walk. No matter how tired I am, it's the thing that relaxes me most. Lying in front of the TV or taking bubble baths and doing pampering stuff would drive me up the wall. I'd be bored stiff within three minutes. But I do have ADHD, so perhaps that has something to do with it!

I have a bath that lasts ages, read or watch a show, pamper myself and then have a nap or early night.

Honestly, a mixture of catching up with bits I need to do in peace (I feel much better when I'm caught up on stuff), make myself a nice snack/cuppa etc, do a meditation/nap. I hear you though, it's a bit overwhelming when it happens, so many options and so many things we want to do!

Nice long bath, watch my favourite movies, read, masturbate, eat my favourite snacks, online shopping, listen to music, craft, call a friend

Do whatever you enjoy.

Agree with this. Do you have nothing to your life outside of being a wife and mother?

I need lots of alone time as an introvert. I cannot cope with a lot of people around me all the time. I use my free time to read or listen to spotify, or do DIY. I try to learn new skills all the time. I am not a massive TV watcher, and prefer to have music on in the background while I read or plan my next big travel adventure. There is something lovely about being quiet in a dark room, and meditating undisturbed by other people. It just decompresses the assorted 'to do' things on the conveyor belt in my mind, and lets me re-set.

I usually either do something arty/crafty while listening to an audiobook, or lounge on the sofa watching something my DP either hates (horror films, serial killer documentaries) or is baffled by (Deadpool), or with a lead character he just doesn’t need to see me drooling over with heart eyes like Pepe Le Pew (Lucifer; The Witcher).

Typically I would do this while eating a dinner of either a Chinese takeaway (DP isn’t mad keen on Chinese food) or something utterly absurd like, eg, a whole dressed crab or a Black Forest gateau. If I’m alone for another night I’ll invariably end up having a dinner that consists of some form of crackers or breadsticks and a pot of taramasalata.

Also solo time with a vibrator

The TV is usually on in the evening when my DC or DP are around. When I'm alone it's bliss to turn it off. (But I don't have Netflix anyway, so maybe I'm not normal!)

What a rude response

This was me this weekend. I bumped into a friend Saturday and she reminded me of their Halloween party, so I went to that and rolled in at 1am. Met some interesting people, and no kids to distract.

this afternoon I changed my bedroom furniture around. Sometimes I potter, clean out a cupboard, organise something. Last time he was away for a week I attacked the playroom, sold a bunch of stuff and ordered/put together and organised a desk space for my youngest, all within the week.

Just want to say that that was not my point.

I was more thinking of reading, hobbies, etc.

Mine are a bit younger (tweens) but I don’t really encourage them spending all evening in their rooms. It’s nice to spend time together in the evenings when everyone is so busy with work/school/hobbies the rest of the time. So we do find something we can all watch and sit in front of the TV sometimes, or play games together etc. And we eat together at the table every night when possible.

When I was at school one of the teachers had a poster of a chimp sitting on the loo that said "Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits." I've always remembered that.

I think it's ok to just sit sometimes. Eventually you get bored enough to come up with a great idea for something to do.