Free time. It’s something that no mother gets a lot of. When your babies are little, everyone tells you “sleep when the baby sleeps”. The older your child gets, the less people say that. And I’m left wondering why that is. Sure they start sleeping all night, but they are most certainly not any less exhausting to care for.
The older they get, the more they move. They walk, they run, they want to play all the time. The more active they get, the shorter their naps become, and the less free time a mom has.
Free time is a hot commodity, and I find myself struggling with the decision of how to spend it. Sure, I should do the massive pile of laundry that has taken over the kitchen floor, but I’d rather nap. I could unload the clean dishes, that way I could take care of the dirty ones that are spilling out of the sink onto the counter, but I’d rather nap. A long hot shower sounds good too, but then I’d have to do something with my hair afterward. And if I’m being honest, I’d almost rather leave my hair pulled up in my messy bun, and hope that I can get away with using dry shampoo for one more day because I’d rather take a nap.
I could mow the lawn. I could vacuum the carpets. I could clean the bathrooms, wash the sheets, clean out the car, bathe the dog, or wash the windows, but I’d rather nap, or binge watch Greys Anatomy on Netflix, or read a book, or eat a snack I don’t want to share.
I work over 40 hours a week. My job is physically demanding. My kids are little energizer bunnies that are overflowing with endless curiosity and exhausting questions. I know what I should do with my free time, but I also know what I want to do with it.
It has been well over a year since anyone has told me “sleep when the baby sleeps”, but the truth is, that is EXACTLY how I’d prefer to spend my free time.
What would you rather do with yours?