Kiddipedia
Recently I had to be a “single parent” as my partner got offered to go away to Sydney for a month for work to fill in for someone up there. It was 2 weeks before our middle child’s birthday. She was turning 2. He called me from work and told me the news. And asked what I thought. And my initial reaction was holy crap. But, also I was excited for him it was a great opportunity.
So we discussed it and made the decision to accept it with the condition he could fly home for the weekend of our daughter’s birthday. He was going that coming Sunday. So we had to cancel our weekend plans to go and visit my mum who moved 4 hours away late last year. It was a bit of an overwhelming feeling to think I was going to be on my own with three kids for the next two weeks.
Sunday came and we headed out to the airport kids in tow. Both nervous as hell. He had never flown before. And I had never been on my own with 3 kids for that long. Our son was only 2 nearly 3 months old. So it was definitely scary. Once we left the airport, I was like ok this is it, it didn’t quite hit me until I got home. It was definitely weird doing bedtime with the kids all alone and then, of course, going to bed alone.
It was nice having the bed to myself though especially when the kids joined me for cuddles. But after the first couple of days, it honestly didn’t feel that much different to any other day. I mean I’m home all day every day by myself with the kids. He leaves around 6-6.30am and gets home around 6 pm so that days were basically the same.
However, it was strange come dinnertime. The first few days we were all I guess waiting for daddy to get home as usual but of course, he was in another state so that wasn’t happening. I definitely got used to doing it alone and it was good in someways. I felt a bit more relaxed I didn’t feel like I had to organise something for dinner every night we could eat early or late.
We went and stayed with my mum for the weekend since he wasn’t going to be home. The kids did pretty well in the car especially the baby. He was amazing. That was surprising. So after a nice weekend getaway coming home to any empty house felt strange but it was good to be home. Week one down, one more to go.
Which also meant organising Isabelle’s birthday. We had decided on a day trip to the zoo. It was cheaper than having a party, less mess and a bit more enjoyable for the kids. We invited family and friends to come along as well. So I was constantly checking the weather praying it would be sunny. But we needed a backup plan just incase. Friday came along quickly. The birthday day and the day daddy was coming home. The excitement on the kid’s faces when we picked him up was just soo heart warming. The weekend flew by and after a great day at the zoo we had to take daddy back to the airport so he could get back to Sydney for work on Monday.
Which meant another week alone for us. We missed him so so much. And with Easter coming the following weekend we had organised to meet up at my mum’s for the weekend he had a hire car and was going to make the nearly 7-hour drive to mums and we would make the 4-hour drive to meet him there and stay a few days.
Well, that plan fell apart when his boss called and said he wanted him home because they needed him back in Melbourne. We had no idea what was going to happen. We had just arrived at my mum’s house when he called me to tell me the news. So I was in a bit of a panic, to say the least. He’s got no house key to get in we didn’t know when he was getting a flight where he was going to go when he got into Melbourne. Then we were trying to think of ways to get him to where we were.
So after a lot of panic on my behalf some major generosity on his bosses behalf and a mad dash from him, a flight was arranged to a small airport in Albury an hour and a half drive each way from my mum in Cobram so my mum’s partner and I made the drive out to the airport to collect my partner leaving my mum with the girls. We had to take the baby because of #breastfeedingmumlife. And got him back to my mums safely our kids were soo happy to have daddy home. I was relieved to have him back finally and we could still share Easter together with the kids.
Even though it’s great having him back. I was actually getting used to being a “single parent” it was definitely hard at bath time and bed time. But it was all worth it in the end. I definitely have a new respect for single parents. And those that live the fifo life. I don’t know how you do it. My little snippet experience of it was crazy, nerve-racking, lonely, but good. It definitely made me appreciate my partner that little bit more.
You might also like to read:
10 Useful Rules for a Single Parent Household
Introducing Michael Ray: an extra ordinary single father
