If you happen to be a parent, you may be all too familiar with having your name called a million times a day and barely getting time to go to the toilet alone. It can be the cutest thing to watch, and likewise, there are times where you just need to be alone.

Often, parents feel guilty about needing time apart from their kids. However, you should know that taking time out doesn’t make you a bad parent. On the contrary, when you create time to take care of yourself and recharge it means you’re looking after your wellbeing, and you can give the best version of yourself to your kids.

Let’s look at some ways that you can create time for yourself when you’ve got a toddler.

Enroll them in a Nursery

Deciding to enroll your child in a nursery can be a significant step for both you and your child. This decision, could, however, be one that is beneficial to both you and your little one. It would give you the well-deserved time you need and your little one a chance to break into early learning. If, for instance, your child happened to attend a nursery such as St Margaret’s Nursery in Essex, they would be in school from 8.30am – 3.30pm. During this time, they would get the chance to learn different subjects that are part of their early year’s curriculum and interact with a mix of different children. Regarding how it would help you, if you’re a stay at home mom or working flexible hours, this could give you a decent number of hours to yourself many days. You could run your errands in peace, take the time to tackle that laundry basket that’s overflowing or just get some well-deserved sleep. The point is, putting your child in a nursery could give you more time to do things you want to do alone.  

Organize Play Dates Better

If you have friends or neighbors with kids around your child’s age, why not consider taking turns babysitting. You could drop your child at their house to play with their kids for a few hours and do the same for them on days where they need it. You could do this at random or choose to nominate a few days in a month where you look after one another’s kids. By doing this, you’ll be able to get a couple of hours to yourself where you can do something that you enjoy. It is possible that you may choose to spend your quiet time indoors watching a film or enjoying a meal without your toddler attacking your food. In the instance where you don’t have friends to make this arrangement with, why not consider a babysitter who could come by every now and again?

Make the Most of The Time When They’re Asleep

Depending on how old your toddler is and what their sleep routine is, you could catch some alone time when they’re asleep. Try leaving the dishes dirty for a couple of hours and taking that time to unwind in peace. Something as simple as finding time to read a few pages of that book collecting dust before bed is also considered as alone time and self-care. It may seem like a difficult thing to do as a busy mum, but if you’re run down, you won’t be of much use to anyone around you.

Creating time out for yourself is a must when you’re a parent. Life can seem as though you’re always on the run and there’s no pause button, but you must try creating your own. You’re only human, so without taking a break often, you’re bound to run out of steam and break down mentally, physically, or emotionally. Make it your priority to find some time in each day that has been created especially for you.