Eight ways to survive Easter without your kids.

I always imagined special occasions without kids would be tough. But now I have to face the reality as my daughter spends Easter with her dad. This will be the first ever special occasion she has with her dad. And the first special occasion since becoming a mum that I will be alone. I have to get through Easter without her.

My daughter is five, and to date, I have been lucky enough to have my daughter for every birthday, every Christmas, every Easter, every Mother’s Day, and every other significant date or special occasion.

She hasn’t even left yet, and I don’t like it already. It makes me sad to think that on Easter Saturday I won’t be able to put her to bed and then prepare for the arrival of the Easter Bunny. I won’t be able to see her face when she wakes up on Sunday morning when she discovers that the Easter Bunny has been. And I won’t be able to share the joy with her as she finds the eggs, and then eats them.

So what will I be doing? Hopefully having a sleep in and then having a Julia day. It doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

Here are eight ways of getting through Easter without your kids.

1. Sleep.

Let’s face it; sleep is something that as single mothers, we probably all need more of. I’m not sure how I access that sleep bank that I was told to fill up whilst I was pregnant. But I could use all those extra hours I banked up right about now! Feeling tired has become more of a norm than an exception. So for me, I know I’ll be catching up on some sleep. Whether it’s a sleep in on Sunday, or a nap during the day. Why the heck not?

2. Eat chocolate without sharing.

I’ll definitely be getting myself some special treats. And the fact that I won’t need to hide them or share them is pretty exciting! This is a MUST do for getting through Easter without your kids.

3. Binge watch Netflix.

Last time I had some time to myself I watched a couple of seasons of Orange is the New Black. Since then, I haven’t watched any Netflix, so I’m pretty excited about settling into the couch to watch another season (with chocolate eggs in hand).

4. Remind yourself how lucky you are.

Whenever I have started feeling sad in the lead up to my daughter leaving for five days over Easter, I have reminded myself of how lucky I have been to have all the special occasions with her until now. For five years I’ve had EVERY special occasion. I knew the time would come eventually (and the next major hurdle will be Christmas when, and if, it happens), and now I have to suck it up and know that my daughter’s dad deserves to share these special occasions with her too, and she deserves to spend it with him. So I have to get over it. I have to remember that as much as I feel that I deserve to have all the special days, because I do the majority of the parenting, he is still her dad and we are equally important to her.

5. Catch up with friends.

For me, I won’t be doing too much catching up with friends this time around without my daughter. BUT that’s because I am lucky enough to see my friends very regularly anyway. It’s not to say I won’t be seeing my friends at all over the Easter weekend but I also have two and a half child-free weeks in Sydney coming up in one of the upcoming school holidays. And this time around my priority is catching up on some work, and having some me-time. I am really craving some me-time. However, if you do feel at risk of feeling lonely, organizing a get-together with some friends is a great distraction and a great way to get through Easter without your kids. Whether it’s seeing a movie, organizing a BBQ or going out for a fancy (and definitely not child-friendly) lunch, go and enjoy some child-free time.

6. Go on a date.

We don’t get a lot of child-free time so we’ve got to plan in a few dates when we can. Spend some time in the lead up to your child(ren) going away swiping through some online dating apps, and start talking to some people. Then, schedule in a date or two, for when the kids are away, with someone who takes your fancy.

7. Go on a trip.

This is something I really considered for my five child-free days over Easter. Going on a solo trip for a few days is incredibly rejuvenating. Being away from home and away from all the things that need to get done provides a real chance to relax. Going to a retreat is also incredibly appealing to me. However, going on trips can also be expensive. So whilst it isn’t something I’m doing on this occasion, I will be booking five nights in a hotel for an upcoming child-free week I have over the school holidays. Plan it in, budget for it, save for it, and make it happen.

8. Prepare for their return.

The positive of having a delayed celebration is the sales! On Easter Monday, I’ll be taking myself to the shops to stock up on Easter supplies for my daughter’s return on Tuesday. I’m not sure how her Easter will be. Will the Easter Bunny find her? Will her dad make it special? I have no idea what to expect. So I want to ensure that when she gets back she discovers that the Easter Bunny has been to her home, and hasn’t forgotten about her. And I will look forward to seeing her face on Tuesday instead of Sunday.

The moral of the story is getting through Easter without your kids means planning for it so you don’t get stuck feeling lonely or sad. Whether it’s getting excited about a quiet day at home, or getting excited about a catch up with friends; having a plan to look forward to, and distracting yourself with, is a great tool to shift the woe-is-me mindset. And also, reminding yourself how lucky you are.

Happy Easter x

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