Moms’ weekends away are so impossible, you say?
I’m here to tell you that not only are they possible, they are vital to your mental, social and emotional health. As I prepare for my yearly mom’s weekend away, I think it will be helpful to share how I get out of the house without too many tears. Now that my kids are a little older, getting away is becoming easier.
Luckily, I have husband who is supportive of friendships and wants me to feel refreshed throughout the year. He travels for work, and being a SAHM with the kids can lead me to be stir-crazy. (Aren’t we all a little stir-crazy at times?) So pack your bags, and I’ll walk you through how to have a successful mom’s weekend away.
Set the Date
First things first, get the date on the calendar. If you want a relaxing mom’s weekend away, securing the date is essential. Our schedule is hectic with my husband’s travel, so I make sure it’s on his calendar once everyone decides on the days. From there, we decide on a location, buy our airline tickets, and book the hotel or AirBNB. This does take a lot of coordinating with a bigger group because all of us have lots of kids, school and activity schedules to consider along with our husbands lives, but we are all committed to making it work.
Clean the House
This might sound silly, but once we have the mom’s weekend away picked, I schedule my house cleaner to come the week I leave. Not everyone has the budget for a cleaner, but I have an affordable lady who comes every 6-8 weeks. Having a house cleaner keeps me married (another topic for a later time). I always purposefully schedule her that week, so the house gives the illusion of being clean. I’m weird and love to come home to a clean house, so knowing I won’t have so much to do when I get home brings relief. The kids and my husband also try to pick up before I get home, which makes me feel loved. Caveat: if you can’t afford a cleaner, then set aside one day the week you leave to clean and do laundry. This will help keep the crazy down when you get home.
Meal Prep
Meal prepping also helps get me out the door. Making sure groceries are stocked and I have at least one meal prepped, ensures my husband will let me leave. (Joking!) In reality, I know he will order takeout, so I only usually prep one meal to give some help. He also appreciates when I stock groceries so he doesn’t have to go to the store. Meal prepping and grocery shopping are little things I can do to make my mom’s weekend away easier on everyone.
Plan Activities
The most helpful thing I do before my mom’s weekend away is plan. all. the. activities. I have a master list of all the kids’ scheduled activities, as well as suggestions for when they have free time. We only do this for the school year, and not during the summer. We keep our schedule free from scheduled activities during the summer because we want free time to do what we want. If my mom’s weekend away is during the summer, my husband likes the freedom to take the kids to different fun places.
Pack!
Pack the week of your trip. I try (operative word is try) to pack a couple of days ahead of time. I’m notorious for always forgetting something even if I make list. Most of the time, I pack the night before. If you have babies or toddlers, don’t put any pressure on yourself to get this done in time. Instead, let your girlfriends know you packed last minute and may need to borrow something. Babies and kids are known for getting antsy if they see you packing, so involve them in the process and ask for their help. (And don’t forget to bring something back for your littles from your mom’s weekend away!)
That’s it! Now it’s time to take off, have fun, and forget about your mom life for a couple of days! What tips have helped you prepare for your mom’s weekend away?
