TIme for yourself is time well-spent.

Carrick is celebrating his first month in daycare. He attends a group called "Free to Be Me". The teacher there is amazing and full of energy. She has the kids to yoga, sing songs, dance around, and do artwork. She has books, puzzles, games, cars, blocks, dolls, dress up clothes, a thousand-and-one things for a child to play with during the course of one day. Her fenced-in backyard has a tire swing, a sand box, a water table, a birdseed table and a slide. She lets the children explore themselves through play and interaction with eachother. Her background in early childhood education and 30+ years of experience make me feel secure with leaving Carrick there for the half day once a week he goes there.

It was an interesting decision to put him in daycare. I am a stay-at-home mom, and Corey and I lean in the direction of "attatchment" parenting style. I still nurse Carrick (although it's not his main source of nutrition at this point, it's mostly for settling down to fall asleep.) We also still co-sleep (although that chapter will be the next developmental milestone we address). Basically I am with Carrick 90% of the time. On the weekends, I might escape to go get a few groceries, or take a bath by myself, but otherwise, it's him and me.

At the begining of September, my best friend (whose child is Carrick's best friend as well) started her kiddo in daycare becuase she changed jobs. She began working during the day, three days a week. To make the job worth the money, she was able to put her child in daycare for two days, and I watched her little boy on the third day. So, even though he and Carrick could play together for one day, that still left two days that Carrick didn't have his best friend to play with. Let me tell you, those two days a week in a row became maddening for both me and Carrick. Hanging out with our friends was our break from eachother. I needed it, Carrick needed it, and when Corey, my husband got home after work each night, he realized that HE needed it.

So, our decision to put Carrick in daycare was kind of based on the fact that my best friend put her child in daycare. But the real decision came when Corey said to me one night, "Honey, I don't care if you have a job or not, put him in daycare for the sanity of our family. You need a break from eachother. I can't listen to you gripe, everyday, about how Carrick was so wild that you couldn't get anything done."

I called the same daycare that my friend took her kiddo to the next day. Carrick and I went together for the first two days so that I could observe and he could feel secure. It also really helped that his best friend was there to play with.

Now, I am able to bring this blog to you, uninterrupted, becuase Carrick is playing with his friends at daycare at this very minute.

My point with all of this is to illlustrate the importance of using others in your parenting journey. Even with an amazingly supportive partner, sometimes a stay-at-home parent could just use a breather. ( My hat goes off to the single parents. You folks especially need to take some time for yourselves.) It's healthy to take time apart from your child, even if you do the attatchment parenting. It allows you to regroup, and allows the child to learn secure attatchment. Remember: If you're stressed out, your child will pick up on that. It just makes everyone's day a bit more difficult. So make sure to give yourself and your child some time to chill.