Mother's Day Off

I think Mother's Day should be renamed Mother's Day Off. I am really grateful that I get to spend most days with my kids. But I have to admit, I struggle with the pressure to spend Mother's Day with my children. All week long people have been discussing their Mother's Day plans… Oh, we're going to brunch and then for a family bike ride… Every year we spend Mother's Day together in the garden, as a family… My kids are going to surprise me with a special outing… That all sounds lovely - mothers spending a delightful day basking in the presence of their children - but honestly, what would make the day really special would be to have time to myself.

I didn't feel this way last year; I remember wanting nothing more than to spend all day with my kids - but I was working full-time then. I can also imagine wanting to spend all day with them in a few years, when time together might be little rarer. But during these early years when I am home with them, a day off would be nice. 

However, I have a hard time saying this to my family, especially when the kids are excited to make the day special. So we spent the morning working in the garden, then went to our local bakery for coffee and cookies, and headed to our favorite picnic spot for lunch. I did manage to break away for a bike ride by myself during rest time, and we finished up the afternoon working on the chicken coop. Dinner was a cookout over the bonfire, with roasted marshmallows for dessert (of course). The weather was perfect - another beautiful spring day.

Except for the bickering over a swing on our picnic (note: there were four swings and three children) that resulted in a four-year-old tantrum and made the day feel annoyingly like every other day, it really was a lovely day, even if it wasn't a day off. 

And now, because tv-free week is OVER, I get to go watch T.V. 

Happy Mother's Day!