Anonymous wrote:I love to be able strike a balance. Sleep in, get some projects done and then go have fun!

This! This is what I do every year when my husband takes our girls on a trip with the other dads and their kids. It's awesome and you get a great mix of relaxing but also being productive. I personally find that when I don't do anything I feel like the time goes by too quickly and I didn't really enjoy it. Instead if I get some stuff done either around the house or out then I can truly appreciate the down time. Enjoy!

I love to be able strike a balance. Sleep in, get some projects done and then go have fun!

See a play or a movie (and invite a friend)
Chill out in front of netflix in your own house, alone, with the snacks nobody else likes
Go paddling on the river after work
Tackle a minor home improvement project (but not too much. You want chill-out time).
Host a few friends for dinner and drinks

This happened to me about a year and a half ago. DH took DC (then 5.5) for 13 days!! when she’d never been away from me for 24 hours. I’m an extrovert, but not an extreme one, so I was looking forward to peace and alone time. I needed a break after 5.5 years— most of those spent at home with the kid!

I wasn’t worried about DC because DH knows everything about her and is extremely responsible. I did understand that I’d get lonely. We had just moved into our first house so doing the last of the unpacking, organizing, planning decor and shopping was how I spent a bunch of the time. It was also ideal for chucking toys and things I knew she’d never miss but I didn’t want to fight about!

I did a couple of fun “spa” things like cut my hair (woohoo!) and read a couple of novels, go out to a movie, etc. And I planned dinner or lunch with a different friend almost every day... but ultimately I still got lonely, especially without DH. I watched a lot of like HGTV on YouTube because we no longer have TV or streaming, so it was a “treat.” But that was kind of like eating a whole tub of subpar ice cream. Kind of fun at first, but ultimately made me appreciate not having a TV.

I think 7 days is a pretty sweet spot— just do the things you aren’t usually able to do with a kid around, but want to. Don’t do anything that you 1) don’t want to do and/or 2) won’t be really really happy and proud to have accomplished.

If I had five days alone in my house I would:

Work on some home projects
PURGE!
Sleep in on the weekends
Meet up with friends for drinks/dinner after work
Go and see all the free exhibits at the various Smithsonians that I’ve wanted to see.

Arrange some dates with friends. See movies. Eat what you want. Enjoy!

I thought this was going to be a panicked post from a mom who did not think it was right for a dad to do this...

Host a girl's night...

I’d do house projects, spend time with friends, hit the town one night, sleep in, read and eat like I did when I was single (minimum cooking/cleanup).

Sleep and de clutter.

Super jealous! If it were me I would sit and enjoy the SILENCE.

I definitely would stay home and enjoy the house to yourself. Do you have some friends who could visit you? Would be fun to have friends stay with you for a few days and so spa day, fun long lunches, order take out and just relax

Definitely declutter the house. It’s the gift that keeps giving.

Spa day maybe?

Subject pretty much says it all. DH taking 5 yo out of town for a week this June. That’s never happened. What should I do? Something super boring like declutter the house? Girl’s trip? Nothing?

Here’s the thing - I just did a 7 day trip to Europe in October, so I don’t really have the international travel bug. The thing I miss most about child free life is sleeping in (I’m a huge sleeper-inner). Thinking I on the weekend I should sleep in and have an extreme lazy day. The rest of the week? Just enjoy not having to worry about a drop off and a pick up and and making dinner? Would welcome ideas.