Parents On Reddit Revealed How They'd Spend A Kid-Free Day & Everyone Needs Sleep

What would you do with a full day to yourself? A day free of kids or work or bill paying or obligation. It sounds like bliss, right? But also, there’s a bit of pressure involved. Because when you’re a parent, you don’t tend to have loads of time to yourself so it’s easy to forget what to do when you find some free space. Fortunately the internet is stepping in to help.

One parent took to Reddit recently in the “Parenting” sub group to ask for some advice after doing something they call “fairly awful.” They wrote, “[I’ve] taken a day off work next week but not told anyone in the family. I just haven’t had a day to myself in so long! So I’ll still leave the house at the same time like going to work, so sadly sleep isn’t an option, but then I have the whole day to just treat myself! What would you do with a day for yourself, if you had to stay out the house for it?”

Particularly after the past year, when so many parents were pushed to the brink, a day to themselves is not just a treat. It’s vital for mental health. Restorative. And Redditors had this parent’s back with a myriad of genius suggestions.

Get A Lot Of Sleep

Let’s face facts; ultimately we all just want to sleep. One Reddit had this simple, amazing suggestion: “Book a hotel… sleep. Edit: says a lot about most of us parents who crave alone time and sleep above anything else.”

Splurge On Room Service

The hotel idea was a popular one, for eating too. “My husband told me to take a girls trip. I said I'd prefer to spend a night alone in a hotel with room service and uninterrupted sleep.”

Indulge In Some Coffee & A Good Book

Being alone in public without your kids asking for a snack or a toy or just your attention... this is the stuff of dreams. And one Redditor basically mapped out a perfect day for this tired parent. “I would go to the library or a bookstore, find a great book, and then sit at a coffee shop reading and drinking coffee/tea all day,” they wrote. “I’ve done this before, and it was wonderful. Or, get a massage! Go shopping/browsing. Go walking at a local park. Go to a yoga class (sometimes you can find free, outdoor yoga events; in my area they always seem to happen when most people are working).”

Have A High/Low Experience

This suggestion from a Redditor who knows how to do self-care takes the cake for me. “Spa day. Massage. Eat all the takeaways and junk food you can fit in before picking them up.”

Ultimately, just the thought process behind acknowledging you need time to recharge as a parent is a step in the right direction. Go see a movie alone, borrow a dog and hike in the woods, go to a spa, shop for shoes. Whatever you need.

Anything goes. Truly.