How do you spend your time when kids go to saty with other parent

[Janna]

It's the first time that my kids have spent the weekend with thier dad at his since we have been seperated. I didn't think I would feel this lonely without them even though its nice to have some peace. It's that strange I'm tempted t go and get them back plus I'm worried how they'll sleep at thier dads. I've pottered around this afternoon and cleaned this and that. Going to work in a bit for 4 hours but got to come home to a completely empty house
Is it normal to feel like this lol and what do you all do when your kids are away?
Cheers
Janna

hi janna

know how you feel ,its not been long since me and my ex split ,he only has them for the day on saturdays but i felt like id lost an arm .lol
he has to come and see them here at the moment though after his new girlfriend 'accidently' turned up at his house while he had the kids.

I'd go mad if exdp new girlfriend turned up at his house while he was having the kids. In fact I told him today that is this situation arises I would tear him up for arsehole paper. He didn't like that very much he he.
Oh I must go to bed.. just got in from work and back in for 9 tomorrow

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Hi Janna. I used to have weekends like this when ds went to his dads but now we have dd (with new partner) so we don't any more. Ooh, we used to lie in late, stay up late, go out without needing a babysitter, read uninterrupted, sleep, go to bed in the middle of the day, go to the cinema, go shopping for pleasure. It is normal to miss them, of course it is but you do get used to it(or at least, we did!) and make the most of time to yourself.

hiya, my ex p has kids every other saturday 9 til 6pm. It seems that we 'hang around' expectantly for 30 mins or so before he arrives at 9am. I find myself realllly bored & no matter what i do i cant really concentrate. I also find that i 'count down' the hours until they're back starting from about 1pm....CRAZY!! wunder if it'll ever change?!

TIme is the master on this one and time has been the big healer for me. I've moved on now and have met someone else who is right for me but it's taken time and lots of upsets along the way. I'm getting there. You will to. Just be easy on yourself and accept whatever stage you're at. If you accept your life as it is this stage will pass. It's taken a load off my mind to accept that I'm doing the best I can right now and that's good enough.

Janna

hope whatever you did you had a lovely weekend!

I used to always plan something nice for myself when the girls went to their dad's. I didn't have much money in the beginning but used to take a book to a coffee shop and read interrupted, or if I did have some cash go for a facial, or waxing or something like that. My two were under three so I just learned to see the time as freedom. I did miss them terribly.
In my experience, as time went on my free time filled up by itself as I adapted to a single life - great! I still miss them when they're away (12 years on!) and now they go for holidays too so it can be for up to a week. But now they're teenagers I think the absences help us appreciate each other more

Good luck, Janna!

Carole
xx

Janna, have been doing this for a few months now & it does get less weird. I really relish my weekends off now & have got used to finding nice things to do. I miss them terribly for the first hour or so as the house seems very quiet but I wack the stereo on really loud with bouncy music and soon start to relax.
Best thing to try and do stuff that is really difficult when they are there: lunch out with a childless girlfriend, window shopping, hair appointment and enjoy that time for yourself.
I find that the lie ins on Sat & Sun morning are almost worth getting divorced for!!!