No one need me Weekend

This weekend I stayed at home while the boys headed to my husband’s parents’ house for the weekend. I was meant to join them, but I’ve been craving some alone time for weeks now, so ultimately, they went alone. When my husband asked why I wanted to stay home, I explained that I selfishly needed to not be responsible for anyone else, and just do whatever I wanted, when I wanted.

Then, when I was out for a walk with the dog this morning, I was listening to the Kylie Kelce podcast, Not Gonna Lie. Kylie discussed a TikTok post where the woman described it as she didn’t need “me time”, she needed “no one needs me time”.

I went hunting, and I found the post so that she gets full credit:

@annarankinrn SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK #sahm #momlife #momsbelike #mama #freedom ♬ original sound – Anna Rankin🌺 Mom life ✌🏼

That describes it so perfectly. So, I used it as the title for my blog, and I’m pretty much preaching it to anyone that’ll listen. I’m pretty sure every single parent on the planet needs this time, um, at some time or another (bad pun intended I guess).

Also, to credit Kylie I found the spot on her YouTube video if you want to go check it out.

What I actually did

The boys left early Saturday morning, and I was left to my own devices. And while most of it felt very slothy, it was still a productive weekend!

• I went clothes shopping. I’ve been losing weight, and I’ve reached the point where none of my shorts fit. Unless I intended on living the entire summer in activewear and a single skirt, I desperately needed some clothes. And my god, the difference it feels to go shopping when you’re not terrified that you won’t fit anything!! What a relief!
  
• I vacuumed and mopped the house. Technically, I was responsible for it being completed, but the hard work was actually done by our robot vacuum cleaner. But hey, I emptied the dirt, put the mop cloth on, and filled the robot with water. And the very important “press the power button” part. So….I did something!
  
• Designed a sticker for a water bottle I’m doing for a neighbour. Yet to cut it out, but the thought was literally there.
  
• Walked my dog once each day. He’s a blessing, and such a great reason to get outside.
  
• Played Sims 4, which is still achieving something so I’m still putting it on the productive list.
  
• Straightened my hair.
  
• Attempted to clean the air fryer, and instead got the shits with it. After an hour, I then realised the teflon is all flaking off anyway, so began negotiations with my husband to get a new one.
  
• Stripped the paint coating off my husband’s badly scuffed water bottle to bring it back to brushed metal. I’m practising a new craft technique at the moment, so this was good for me to use the technique in a way that it didn’t matter if I screwed up. My first attempt on my own water bottle wasn’t great (I wasn’t happy with the edges), but my husband wanted his stripped the whole way. Pretty hard to mess up when you’re just literally coating the whole thing! It was also really good to see how the gel reacts with different materials too.
  
• I watched a movie. And by watched…I mean, I played it in the background. I can’t even remember what it was. Ohhhhh, that’s because it wasn’t a movie, it was the Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns game. Yeah… GC got flogged.

How I’m feeling now

So much better. I seriously needed this reset and recharge. I haven’t been sleeping well for a while now, I’ve been highly anxious, and if you ask my husband, probably a bit snappy.

I just desperately needed the quiet and solitude.

It’s not that I don’t love my family or want to be with them, but sometimes you just need to not be responsible for anyone else. Or answer to anyone else. To go to bed whenever I want, or nap, sleep in late, get in my pyjamas early….whatever it is, whatever slothing I want to do, and just know that there’s not someone there asking me questions, trying to negotiate for more tech time, asking what I’m doing, asking if they can play with their friends, can they have a lolly….you get the picture.

I just needed to be by myself, to mentally top my cup right back to the top, and get ready to give time to others again.

I needed a no one need me weekend.

I highly recommend this type of weekend to everyone.

And if you’re extroverted, then you probably have no idea what I’m on about and why the heck would anyone ever want to be by themselves. Well, good for you, I hope you enjoy your non-stop socialising because that sounds like a nightmare.

Now to hit publish on my first post in a month, then sit here and read up on how to use our new airfryer (I won that debate) and prepare for the week ahead.

It’s going to be a good week.