Absence does make the heart grow fonder

Who would of thought that the old saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' actually has some truth to it? Unbelievable right? But still, very very true.

I mean, at the end of the day, when you tuck your small children into bed (3 year olds are channeling the devil) you know that you won't see them for a few hours at least (well, you pray that you won't see them for at least a few hours) and that makes you forget all the things they did during the day - like wanting to know WHY, and 'where is that persons mummy' 'is that car racing us' 'drive faster' 'where are they going, who do they live with, what's their name, i want to see my best friend, why can't I eat chocolate until i burst etc etc etc and fifty bazillion other annoying things (apparently bajillion isn't a number but a bazillion is... huh) and you're all like ' aw, i can't wait to give them a cuddle when they wake up (in 12 hours time other wise mummy is going to need a padded cell or a bottle of wine).

Yet often, the reverse is true of our partners. THEY get to go to work 5 days a week. I'm a stay at home mum, so I don't get to go have adult conversation. I'm living, breathing and thinking for and like a 3 year old. So when I then bombard my partner with 50 million questions about the outside world, because Jimmy Giggle and Dirt Girl really don't know that much about current affairs and the answer I get is 'I dunno. Ok I guess. It was alright. Not much' followed by 'what's for dinner' I start to wish that the person who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with would just go the hell away!
But wait, there is a catch. They can only go away if and when it suits ME.*thump* Sorry, I just fell to the floor as I was laughing so hard! AS IF!

ME has been forgotten, pushed aside and shoved in a dark corner in the furthest recesses of the universe. I can't even go to get milk and bread without a struggle. My 3 year old is like a clip on koala - her legs work just fine but I always get 'pick, pick, pick me up mummy' or even worse 'race me mummy' but don't even think about getting close to her because if she doesn't win, the world has ended. You know how I know that the world has ended? The antichrist has returned and is acting through my child, in the carpark!
So if I don't get adult conversation from the other adult I live with and instead I get more 3 year old type questions and then they think that they are going to go and have a life - um, NO FREAKIN' WAY! Apparently then I am being unreasonable. This coming from the man child having a very 3 year old tantrum. Righto.

So slowly you get sick of the thought of them coming home blissfully ignorant to my plight of 3 year old hell. You know that instead of getting a team mate, so you can tag out for a bit, you're gaining another child. Except this one can't be sent to time out. This one cannot be bought off with a toy or chocolate. This one has money and a car and an attitude too (although the attitude pales in comparison to the 3 year old!). It is beyond infuriating. And then they have the audacity to go and have additional adult interactions! The nerve!

Anyway, I think I digressed somewhere near the start of this story. So, having some time apart from your partner really is like a holiday. You know everything has been done, once the 'devil' is in bed you don't have to get up and find anything for anyone, or do anything for anyone. You don't have to ask 20 times if the dogs have been fed or the bins have been taken out, because you just did it to start with so you know it's been done, and done right.
Now you actually get to experience something similar to 'relaxation'. It's great. I don't know what the real thing is but this shadow of it is just the bees knees! So the absence of my man child for a few nights makes me want to speak to him, because when we talk, it's about adult stuff. And i don't have 20 million stupid things that I have to do like get up and help find the milk or something stupid like that! (Even the 3 year old can find the milk!!!).

So, I think every stay at home parent, or the main parent in a family with children should have a night off. Every single week. And ME should never be too far away. And if your partner gets to be with his ME all the time and you have forgotten what your ME looks like, take the time to find it. It is good for both of you, and as the old saying goes 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' and I no longer want to rip his face off at the mention of cricket or some other sport or 'grown up thing' that he might be enjoying whilst I am stuck watching telly tubbies or in the night garden and explaining why lala doesn't have a mummy or daddy at home.

Put your feet up, have a drink and drift off to wonderland (don't get confused and go to neverland, it's populated by boys who don't want to grow up and that's what you're trying to escape from at home!).