Just One


Last week, both girls were in day camp, and I had some time alone with my little man. He was born just 18 months after his sister, Jilly, and within four years of his big sister, Belly. It is not often that I have alone time with just D.

One morning, I decided to take him on a hike. On the grounds of a local college, there is a toddler-friendly hiking path that can be done in under an hour, even with a meandering almost-four year old.


Alone, it is even more apparent to me how much he has grown. The boy who I dragged to a speech therapist last year for never speaking, now never stops talking.

Without big sisters to boss him around, he turned into a little leader, having to be in front all the time. He was constantly telling me to watch out for sticks and pointing out the route markers painted on the rocks.


I’ve said that whenever I am with just one of my kids, it feels so much easier than when I’m juggling all three. When I say this, I’m not referring to the physical part of mothering, but the part of me that wants to be there for my kids when they have a question or when they need my undivided attention. Having three who I chose to teach at home means that we are often together and the kids have to share me.

I obviously think our particular lifestyle is worth these challenges, but sometimes it is so nice to have just one, even for just a few hours of walking in the woods together.

Comments

  1. I think both parent and child need alone time. It could be just a trip to the grocery store, or out for a bowl of ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery *Shudders*.

    But it is good for everyone. I love it when my daughter has a sleepover and me and my son are alone. It is 100% different, and vice versa.

    Glad you were able to enjoy him!!

  2. That sounds like a great day with the D-man! We’ve been pretty good with having one-on-one time but we are only juggling two so it makes it easier.

    As school kicks into gear, and hubby moves over the day shift at work, I have a feeling our worlds are going to be ROCKED!

    “Flexibility” has been our middle name for almost 6 years, and we have to change that to “structure” very quickly 🙂 In fact, I have to figure out how to set our alarm clock again – we’ll have a bus to catch soon!!!

  3. Alpha DogMa says

    That looks like a hoot. D sounds like my youngest: never met a silence he could not fill to capacity.

  4. I think I have worked out a way to have one on one time with all of the boys at least once a week. you are right it is as much for me as it is for them!!

  5. Jozet at Halushki says

    This is so sweet! The photos are beautiful.

    And yes, as we go into fall with three kids schedules and two work schedules plus one or two parent activities, we also schedule in one-on-one time with each child that is more than just a car ride.

    It keeps us all connected and sane. It keeps us all feeling “in love” instead of just taking that love as some fact that more often gets taken for granted.

    Lovely post. Absolutely lovely.

  6. Trenches of Mommyhood says

    I wholeheartedly agree. That one-on-one time is so precious. And necessary.

  7. Mason's Mom says

    What a sweet post! I think some of my best memories of time spent with Mason have been times when we went exploring outside together. For a lot of children time outside just seems to bring out a wonderful feeling of wellbeing.

  8. Awww, how sweet. One-on-one time is so important. I try to steal away a little bit with each now, but with a third coming up that scares me.

  9. mothergoosemouse says

    I see my future in this post. And some of my present too.

    It’s not the logistics that get to me. It’s the feeling of being divided within myself.

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