I’m gonna be frank with you, all I want for Mother’s Day some good old-fashioned peace and quiet. That’s it. I don’t want to do anything that involves me putting on a bra because I’ll tell you right now I’m not in the mood for it. I know Mother’s Day is a few days away but I can assure you I’m already dreading the thought.

And I know I’m not alone in this. Yeah, sure there are moms who want to go out and celebrate the day with their families, and that’s great – but I’m not one of them. My ideal Mother’s Day would be to spent bed with the covers to my neck, with hot tea, a roasted chicken sandwich, and the remote. I might binge-watch a new show (which there are several on my list) or I might watch Downton Abbey for the umpteenth time. Or maybe if I do decide to go out I want to go out alone. I want to roam the bookstore or maybe walk the bridge if the weather is nice enough. The point is, I just want to be left alone in solitude.

Why do I want to be alone?

This past year has been a mess. Like families all over the world, we spent an entire year indoors. We did everything inside. Not getting a break from one another. It’s made us stir crazy, especially me.  Sure there are moments when the kids would do into their room but I still have to yell downstairs to them someone “knock it off”. Or go nuts listening to whatever AmongUs music Sierra has on loop. I haven’t quite figured out if she’s trying to annoy us all or if she just likes it – I think it’s both. This Mother’s Day, I don’t wanna deal with any of it for at least most of the day. I want to hear the low hum of the fridge, the cat’s claws tapping the floor as she walks around, my own thoughts – in other words, silence.

If Jeff Sr. wants to do something for me then he should the children out. I’m always the one doing things with them while he works, and I enjoy those moments. But for one once, he should plan something just for them. I honestly cannot remember the last time the three of them did something without me. If I had to guess I would say it was before the pandemic. I had something to do and he took them to the park and to grab a bite. He needs to do that that not only more often but starting this weekend. Now don’t get me wrong, Jeff is no slouch. He was at one point working two full-time jobs. All he did was work and sleep in order to provide for us. So he had his reasons. But, as a stay-at-home mother for the past year, I’ve had no time off as he has continued to work. So to have the entire house to myself for a few hours would be paradise.

Doing what I want to do on Mother’s Day

If Mother’s Day is supposed to be a day we celebrate moms and a day when we should actually rest, then why should be I dragged up and down the street? Please by all means leave me at home. Now I’m sure there are some who think I’m crazy for not taking advantage of my husband’s open wallet, but the truth of the matter is, I can do that any day of the week. So if this one day a year is supposed to be for me then I want to spend it in a way that I want to. Save the overpriced meal and flowers for another day. Give mommy something she’s been dreaming about all year – quiet time.