What do you do on child free days/nights?

[Wheredidthegoodgo]

First couple of nights without my beautiful spirited DD, what do you all do when you have child free time? Before and during Covid..

Sounds sad but I'm almost a bit lost

Enjoy it, I don’t get any child free time! You would soon miss it if you didn’t

It is hard at first OP I totally get it. At first I was definitely keeping myself busy and filling the time.
I do a big clean, strip beds, clean out pets, loads of washing etc. Go for a long walk listening to a podcast. Do home exercise e.g. Yoga.
I also now watch TV or read books but at first I couldn't really relax enough to.

Evenings I do mostly what I do when they're here! Veg out on the sofa!!
I also have long phone conversations, and pre COVID sometimes I even went out!!

Big deep clean of the house then pamper time! Hot bath, face masks, hair masks, mini pedi, bit of tan and good music on 😍

Ooh yeah forgot a nice long soak, that too.

I tidy up & clean the bathroom as soon as they're gone, then enjoy my clean and tidy house that doesn't get messed up again til they come back. I love it. Eat what I like and listen to audio books undisturbed. Bliss.

Thank you all. I guess in time I will just think of it as a nice little break, some me time. I definitely do the tidying but it's after that I just sit around feeling like I need to do something.. plus I just miss my little girl she keeps me on my toes so this downtime is very.. just weird

It is weird at first. I love my sundays to myself first, but found it very painful at first.
Is there a little project you can do to fill the time? I decided to do up my little back yard last summer.

I'm learning a musical instrument, I am doing house jobs to make it my own, I clean and make it nice to enjoy before they come back and trash it, I take a friends dog for a walk, I sit around watching telly.

Society implies you should feel guilty for this, I say f*&k that. It's intense with just them and you, enjoy the time you have without them. It'll benefit you all.

Enjoy the peace & quiet.

Sleep!!!

Haha I find I can't sleep though. Think I'll buy a hot tub 😅 get some wine and pretend I'm on holiday

Came across this thread when I googled this very question - just finishing my first weekend without my son and thinking about how to fill my 3.5 days a week without him. OP, how are you adapting?

Pre Covid - meals out with friends, shopping trips, visiting family etc! In fact every week on ex's overnight me and my family would do something fun - theme park, escape room etc! Also dated and now have a new other half who I also spend my free time with too!

In Covid - improving the house - paining etc, walking the dog, going cycling with family, bath and pamper nights, slob on the sofa with a takeaway, child free trips to tesco!

Pre COVID, I usually have a day out with best friends, and book holidays with them. During COVID, I speak to them through Zoom, I usually have an hours massagr a month and just watch Netflix with wine...it was nice the first time I split with ex and took them to his place. I was alone and made use of my time since I was hardly alone when we were together.

I dont get any child free nights, the kids dont stay overnight. Never gone for sleepovers either.

Day wise the dc dont stay at their dads longer than 6-7 hours. Often 3-4 hours.
Mainly as exh cant cope with the kids by himself.

Prior to lockdown there was the odd day here and there when they were with him longer ie extended family do.

As for what do I do, I sometimes run errands, sometimes work, sometimes go for a walk. Sometimes watch tv which is a treat as dont get a look in usually. Sometimes go shopping. Sometimes have a day out if I know they will be there longer than 6 hours. Sometimes meet a friend. Sometimes do a hobby. Sometimes do housework.

That kind of thing.

I’m getting my first child free weekend for 10 years this weekend and although I will miss my kids I’m a bit excited too. I’m planning to clean on Friday night then watch some tv with wine. On sat have a quick run with the dog and catch up on uni work all day. Sunday might have a little sleep in, a long run and go food shopping before ex drops the kids off in the evening. I don’t think I will get bored or lonely but it’s been so long since I’ve spent time on my own I might find the reality different!

Whatever the hell I want! An amazing feeling after so many years of having someone else to consider all the time.

Sometimes I lounge around watching Netflix, drinking wine (in evenings, not all day!) and eating take-away.

Sometimes I’m active, decorate the house, sort everything and feel all zen.

I always sleep in

I pop to the shops to browse with all the time in the world and eat lunch out somewhere. I go to the cinema.

I see friends a lot.

It’s hard at first but you’ll learn to love it and I’ve found I’m a better, more present mum for the break!

Oh and @Wheredidthegoodgo you don’t need to do something. You are in the unique position that you really don’t. Do something. Do nothing. Recharge. Appreciate life.

I enjoy
-waking up without using an alarm clock or being woken up

• eating meals without considering other people's likes and dislikes
• meeting friends and not having to clock watch

-drinking alcohol without worrying about being on parent duty

• doing things like reading, sitting in the bath for an hour without any guilt
• getting chores done quickly without worrying that my child is in another room causing havoc

I can only dream of having child free nights 😔

I did up the house initially but that's all done now so I've been doing up the garden mostly but like others have said deep cleans, meeting up with friends, pamper sessions.

Like another poster has said I feel like a much better mum for it, I don't even realise how much I have missed them until they are home and I squeeze the bloody life out of them.

At first I found it surprisingly hard to make decisions like what to eat for dinner without taking into account other people's preferences but it's really liberating being a care-free adult for the night and not thinking about me. Love my kids but the break is a relief.

@ForThePurposeOfTheTape

I enjoy -waking up without using an alarm clock or being woken up

• eating meals without considering other people's likes and dislikes
• meeting friends and not having to clock watch

-drinking alcohol without worrying about being on parent duty

• doing things like reading, sitting in the bath for an hour without any guilt
• getting chores done quickly without worrying that my child is in another room causing havoc

This exactly

Play piano, yoga, dance class, talk on phone to friends, crafting, watch a film, clean house, have a bath with candles and a book.