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Smug Minibreaks for Two

1
I hope I don’t do smug. Behind any post, discussion, or suggestion I am honestly juggling a million slippery little ratbag balls like any other parent. And it’s not easy. In my opinion, that includes marriage. For me, it’s important to take time away from the children just the two of us, so we try every year to have a little night away (or more if we can swing it).

Help at hand

I appreciate I’m lucky that I have parents and parents-in-law who don’t live a million miles away and are happy to help look after the boys when we go away. So,

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while they can physically help us, we take up their offer and buggar off. As you do.

The Lake District

Last November we nestled into the Lake District and it was simply LUSH. Yes, we managed to have a massive row just before we stepped on the train in London, but I think for both of us it took some time to fully relax from ‘Responsible Parent’ mode to ‘Free and hang on, have I only got myself to worry about?’ mode.

Rain drenched

On our first day, after a massive lie in and big fat breakie, our hotel provided us with full-on hiking

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3
gear (all the gear, no idea. Yes exactly). Kitted out in someone else’s hiking gear, we braved the pouring rain to hike the scenic route into Ambleside. It was bitter, but it didn’t matter, because even in the persistent rain, the air was pure and the rain tasted fresh. The endless rolling hills and rain-dappled lakes provided us with freedom and the novelty of silence. Even if I was wearing men’s’ waterproof trousers with a rucksack stuffed up my anorak.

I LOVE a pub

When we reached town, we scuttled into a cosy pub like two drowned rats,

SelfishMother.com
4
my ample men’s’ trousers hanging unflatteringly off my bum. The gooey lasagne and the hearty glass of red by the open fire were like a little chunk of heaven. I confess that we had a few beverages of the alcoholic variety, because, quite simply, we could. Okay, brutal honesty, yes we got a bit smashed woo hoo!!

No routine

For both of us, the novelty of picking up the daily routine, screwing it into a ball and temporarily chucking it in the bin, was relaxing, exhilarating and beyond welcome. And as much as I cringe at the phrase, we reconnected

SelfishMother.com
5
(apologies, I will try never to use that again). We talked properly, rather than scraping the surface like we often do with children in the forefront. We laughed and we relaxed in each other’s company. Phew, thank god for that.

Whatever your circumstances as parents, I can guarantee that you are busy, tired and more than a tad frantic. Taking time out allows a reset, a rare opportunity to be selfish and spontaneous. If you can take a mini-break, I thoroughly recommend it.

The location really doesn’t matter. A room without a child is a very good

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start.
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- 8 Jan 19

I hope I don’t do smug. Behind any post, discussion, or suggestion I am honestly juggling a million slippery little ratbag balls like any other parent. And it’s not easy. In my opinion, that includes marriage. For me, it’s important to take time away from the children just the two of us, so we try every year to have a little night away (or more if we can swing it).

Help at hand

I appreciate I’m lucky that I have parents and parents-in-law who don’t live a million miles away and are happy to help look after the boys when we go away. So, while they can physically help us, we take up their offer and buggar off. As you do.

The Lake District

Last November we nestled into the Lake District and it was simply LUSH. Yes, we managed to have a massive row just before we stepped on the train in London, but I think for both of us it took some time to fully relax from ‘Responsible Parent’ mode to ‘Free and hang on, have I only got myself to worry about?’ mode.

Rain drenched

On our first day, after a massive lie in and big fat breakie, our hotel provided us with full-on hiking gear (all the gear, no idea. Yes exactly). Kitted out in someone else’s hiking gear, we braved the pouring rain to hike the scenic route into Ambleside. It was bitter, but it didn’t matter, because even in the persistent rain, the air was pure and the rain tasted fresh. The endless rolling hills and rain-dappled lakes provided us with freedom and the novelty of silence. Even if I was wearing men’s’ waterproof trousers with a rucksack stuffed up my anorak.

I LOVE a pub

When we reached town, we scuttled into a cosy pub like two drowned rats, my ample men’s’ trousers hanging unflatteringly off my bum. The gooey lasagne and the hearty glass of red by the open fire were like a little chunk of heaven. I confess that we had a few beverages of the alcoholic variety, because, quite simply, we could. Okay, brutal honesty, yes we got a bit smashed woo hoo!!

No routine

For both of us, the novelty of picking up the daily routine, screwing it into a ball and temporarily chucking it in the bin, was relaxing, exhilarating and beyond welcome. And as much as I cringe at the phrase, we reconnected (apologies, I will try never to use that again). We talked properly, rather than scraping the surface like we often do with children in the forefront. We laughed and we relaxed in each other’s company. Phew, thank god for that.

Whatever your circumstances as parents, I can guarantee that you are busy, tired and more than a tad frantic. Taking time out allows a reset, a rare opportunity to be selfish and spontaneous. If you can take a mini-break, I thoroughly recommend it.

The location really doesn’t matter. A room without a child is a very good start.

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Who: Sarah - Queen of self-deprecation Job: from corporate HR career to Mum, Writer and Blogger Children: two boys with a 13 month age gap!! Obsessions: writing, Haribos, rainbows, coffee, fizz

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