I am exhausted. Aren't you exhausted?
What the hell is wrong with us mothers that we are constantly exhausted?
I talk to my friends about it and they tell me that they feel like this too–simply exhausted. And due this constant state of tired, we become kind of boring and let's be clear, we don’t want to be boring! But we all know that going out and having dinner can only be that. No “let’s have another drink elsewhere” because the next morning at 6:45 a.m. your kids will be on top of you and you’re going to regret the very moment when you said “what the hell, let’s get a drink!”
The choice of getting to bed early isn't a choice, it's simply survival. If we don’t get at least 6 hours of sleep we’ll become terrible, impatient mother-monsters incapable of joy. Lack of sleep may kill all chances of a good laugh.
So here’s the best present anyone can give you–or the best present anyone can give me, at least: Take my kids. If you love me–and more importantly, if you love them–please take them. Just for one night.
Bathe them, give them dinner, put them to bed, hug and kiss them good night, then wake up with them the next morning, listen to their twenty little demands, make them breakfast and get them ready to go out.
This is all I ask. And in return I will be forever grateful and you’ll hold a special place in my heart. I swear.
And you know what I’ll be doing with that free pass? I will be sleeping.
(My parents are visiting and they took my kids Saturday night, I went out for arepas and beer, I came home and was able to watch Saturday Night Live without fear of sacrificing good hours of sleep, I read a whole chapter in my book… and I woke up at 9 AM. Thank you Mom, thank you Dad).
What would you do if you had a guilt-free night off?
Image via Lauren Manning/Flickr
