As a stay at home mom, I have come to appreciate things that my pre-mommy self never would have thought to appreciate in a million years. Of course there are the things that every parent appreciates, like babysitters, but I'm talking about the little things most people don't take the time to appreciate while they can. Here is a list of baby-free activities that every stay at home parent can appreciate.
1. Sitting in traffic
Had someone told me that I would one day enjoy sitting in traffic just because there wasn't a child in my backseat, I would have laughed in their face. But I have to admit, rolling along on the freeway at five miles per hour while listening to whatever music I want at a volume loud enough to blow an ear drum or two is glorious. Those extra 40 minutes of drive time that I used to dread are now some of my most cherished moments.
2. Doing laundry
I hate laundry. And when I say hate, oh boy, do I mean hate. But, being able to sort that heaping pile of clothes that has been stacking up for the past 2 weeks without a tiny human either jumping into, rolling around on, or throwing in the air makes me one happy mama.
3. Taking a shower
You will never understand how you can appreciate something so simple as taking a shower alone until you have a toddler insist on taking a shower with you EVERY SINGLE DAY. No rubber duckies. No telling them to sit down every five seconds. No worrying about getting your tear inducing shampoo and body wash in their tiny, sensitive eyes. Pure bliss.
4. Using the bathroom
Does this one really need an explanation?
5. Running errands
I used to dread the days that were filled with running errands. I dread them even more now when I have to tote my daughter around with me. But on those glorious days that someone else is watching my child, running errands makes me so happy. I get to go multiple places in one day and spend as much or as little time in each place as I please. No rush to leave because of tantrums or any other baby related reasons.
6. Going to the doctor
If there is one thing that I hate more than doing laundry, it's going to the doctor. But if I can go to the doctor without have to wrangle an angry one year old, I call that a good day.
7. Leaving the house
Oh, how I miss the days where leaving the house was as simple as having my keys, wallet, phone, and shoes. Just getting out of the front door is an event in itself with a toddler. On the rare occasions that I get to leave the house without having to drag along a screaming toddler, I take a minute to enjoy just how easy it is.
8. Getting out of the car
I have the same feelings about getting in and out of my two door hatchback as I do about leaving the house: gloriously easy and beautiful without the angry toddler fighting me every inch of the way.
9. Eating a meal
Why do toddlers have to make mealtimes so difficult? When my husband and I get the chance to go on a date night, I almost always insist that we go to dinner. Eating a meal without having to wrestle a one year old is always something I immensely enjoy. Especially when I don't have to pick up all the rejected food items off the floor.
10. Talking to adults
My daily conversations sound something like this: "Oh no, did your very loud and obnoxious toy stop working? Maybe Toodles can fix it. Ohhhh Tooooodles!", "The cat food is just for the kitties!", and "You pooped again?!" So when I get the chance to talk to adults without baby tagging along, it is the best feeling. No Mickey Mouse, no ABC's. Just adults talking about adult things. Usually one adult (me) talking a million miles an hour about a hundred different topics because she doesn't know when she's going to have the opportunity to talk to another adult again.
11. Silence
Shhhhhhhhhh
To anyone without children, make sure you take the time to thoroughly appreciate all of these seemingly unimportant, everyday activities. Because there will come a day when you will say to yourself, "I can't remember the last time I pooped without a tiny person staring at me."
Happy parenting!
