Babysitter: family time management for a healthy parenthood 

Do you remember that feeling of happiness the day you found out that you were pregnant? The excitement and joy that crossed your body with so many images of what your family life would be and all the great moments that were yet to come?

Well, I’m sure all of that came true and the emotions in reality have beaten your imagination but I’m also sure that on top of that you are also facing new challenges such as keeping some husband-wife time away from the kids.

The reality is that we love our kids so much that it is hard for us to leave them home to do things together as a couple. I remember those days when I could read a book, chill in bed after breakfast of watch a movie without any pressure of someone waking up.

As much as we love our family life I still miss some of the couple life I had before. How to overcome that? Well, first of all, don’t give up. It is possible to do it. It is possible to find time and book a babysitter (although it hurts a bit in your wallet, but it is still worth every euro) book a grandma, a niece or anyone that ever offered to babysit your children. Your kids will have a great time and will see that night as a special night doing something different. Meanwhile you will be able to re-connect, talk, laugh, drink some wine and unwind for a few hours with your special one.

We are more than parents so let’s not let the parenthood absorb us, and be complete individuals that keep some couple time as well as some solo time now and then.

It is hard to settle a general balance for everyone, as each person is unique and therefore is happy doing different things but I suggest that you look inside yourself and try to find what is your personal ideal balance between: family, couple, friends and solo time.

You may be fine with one outdoor dinner once and month and running one a week to be in your optimum level; you might need to do yoga twice a week and be able to read 30 minutes every day; you may need to go out of town with your partner 4 days without the children every 2 months.

There is no exact science but what is true is that more often than we wish, we tend to let the responsibilities forget about our individual and couple needs. This can lead to some kind of inner frustration maybe unconscious or maybe not.

I suggest that we all ask ourselves how was the life we had imagined and what is the life we have now. The good news is that we can get closer to it anytime. It is just a matter of planning and making small efforts when we are (most of the times) tired or lazy to get in our smart dress and go out to that dinner.

In my case very few times I’ve regretted making the effort. It is higher the benefit than the energy that takes to fight the inner voice saying: “cancel that reservation, cancel that reservation”. I always feel fresh and renovated after a romantic dinner or a dinner with old friends. It brings me back to my roots, to my old me, to my self-centered me which is a place that is nice to visit every now and them.

In MissBabysitter we encourage a healthy parenthood that respects the needs of every member of the family, as individuals, and especially the couple as the basis of the family, that sustains unity and it is, at the end of the day, where it all started. : )