Leaving town without your kids is exhilirating. Coming home is exhausting.
I took on a fair amount of risk leaving town for the weekend by myself. Leaving always means I have some sort of recalibration to do regarding my child when I get back.
Too much juice? Yes. Must do something about that.
Too much blankie time? Of course. That’s gonna be a tough one.
Too much I’ll give you anything you want as long as you don’t whine any longer? Part of the package. For me, too.
I get all of this, but why is it that the rules get all shot to hell when you leave your kids with your parents for a couple days?
My mom always says, “that’s what grandparents” are for. But she doesn’t have to live with the consequences.
Because as soon as I get home the proverbial #2 hits the fan, the light fixture and the nice painting hanging over my bed. I always have to break my son back into reality whenever I let him go to the wolves, er, the family.
Don’t get me wrong – Nana and Papa get the job done. My son adores them, and I can’t ask for anything more. I just sometimes wish there was a little flip I could switch on the kid. Up: Nana. Down: reality. It bites.
Oh, it’s gonna be a long week when I get home.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I totally get you on this one. My folks are the same way and what is worse is that my inlaws are the same way but they do it at our house when they come to stay for a week. There is NOTHING worse than having to break a toddler of those habits again and again. I know they only do it out of love but it is super tiring to clean up the mess.
I’m right with you. We went out last night and the girls spent the night with an adored Aunt and Uncle. Of course, they stayed up way tooooooo late, and woke up at the normal time. It was a loooooong day and I doubt tomorrow will be better. I’m really starting to wonder if it was worth it.