Cabo San Lucas
Everyone knows that vacations are good for you.
But somehow, they seem to go by the wayside after we have kids.
Either that, or the kids go with us.
Big mistake, muchacho.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t take the kids to Disney World or to the beach occasionally.
What I’m saying is you shouldn’t ALWAYS take them with you.
Every now and then, you need to take a vacation without your kids.
Let’s just call a spade a spade.
A vacation FROM your kids.
Even if you can’t afford it.
We couldn’t afford it.
But also, and trust me on this one, I couldn’t afford NOT to take one.
As moms, we sometimes get so depleted that we don’t even know that it’s not a normal state anymore. We just keep going. And as we start running on fumes, and then when the fumes are gone, our bodies start eating themselves just to keep going, everyone pays the price.
Cliffside at Mona Lisa restaurant, overlooking the lights of Cabo.
Or, more importantly, ask my kid. Ask my husband. Or even, if they could manage to bark out an intelligible answer, ask my poor dogs.
They’d all tell you.
In hushed, frightened tones.
After making you promise not to tell me.
Hey, I’m realistic at least 75% of the time. I know it’s not always feasible to go to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and sit by the pool for 5 days.
But for God’s sake, go somewhere.
When you feel like you just can’t take it anymore, it means you can’t take it anymore. At least not safely, for those around you.
There is SOMEONE somewhere who will take your kids for a few days. Go to them.
I drove my kid 5 plus hours to his grandparents and then flew out the next day.
And after a very long flight back to the states, I crashed overnight, then got up and drove us 5 plus hours back to Atlanta.
But it was totally worth it. So totally worth that and more.
Once you’re a mom, everyone is always telling you to take care of yourself…take time for yourself. Because how are you supposed to take care of everyone else if you don’t take care of yourself (goes the theory)?
What no one tells you is how to do this.
So I’m telling you.
Vacate the premises.
Get the hell outta dodge.
Somehow. Somewhere. Sometime. Some place.
Even if it’s one night in a cheap hotel somewhere all by yourself.
Just make it happen.
When I was pregnant with my twins I planned alight in a posh Atlanta hotel by myself with the latest Harry Potter book (shut up, I’m a dork). Instead, I had a raging chest infection during which I coughed so much I threw out my already strained back and ended up in the hospital. A few weeks later we had the girls.
I want my night in a posh hotel and you just reminded me of it.
Hey — I saved the latest Harry Potter book for my honeymoon. Yes. Honeymoon. So no judgement.
Do it! Get your posh night!
I give the kid AND the man the boot twice a month when I send then both packin to my mother in law’s for an overnight visit. It’s not the islands but anytime I get to sit on the couch under a blanket all night without anyone all in my face is a vacation to me!
To be honest Jessica, that sounds better than a beach in Mexico. Just to get 2 nights alone in my own house per month would go a loooong way towards keeping me a little saner.