On Friday night, I went to a movie on my own. (I saw The Amazing Spiderman. Have you seen it? It’s so good!) I hadn’t been to a movie by myself for ages and it felt great. I think I was craving some alone time after all the family reunion-ing and social interactions we’ve had since we arrived in the U.S.
When my kids woke up the next day and heard I’d been to a movie — by myself — they were kind of astounded. They know it’s not unusual for me to run errands alone, but I guess they haven’t seen me do something that’s traditionally social on my own. My conversation with my kids reminded me of this beautiful video:
Tell me, friends. Do you ever seek solo time? Do you ever go to dinner or the movies on your own? Do you like it or does it make you feel lonely? Do your kids seek alone time?
P.S. — My phone is still broken. So funny how much I miss it!
I go to movies alone, simply for the time away from kids and quietness–and air conditioning. We don’t have any. But since moving to Gallup (New Mexico) last year, I’ve been to 5 movies by myself, and every single time I’ve run into friends there. That’s the good thing about a small town. But when I saw Brave alone last week and my friend said “Come sit by us!” I turned her down. It had been one of those days and I was afraid I couldn’t be nice. :)
Oh my how I wish I had some alone time!
I will this fall my son starts maternelle (french preschool) and my little miss starts 2 mornings at garderie (daycare)!! I will have time to keep the house clean and craft :-)
I explain it to my daughter like this “We all need different times with people– Daddy daughter time, mommy-daughter time, (We do one-on-ones with our kids) daddy-mommy time and just mommy alone time” Explaining that all of these are needs has helped her, being a very social person, evaluate her own needs and she has requested “alone” time every once in awhile from her younger sister and brother and I have tried to respect those few times by letting her shut herself in her and her sister’s shared room, alone. Because I do it– albeit I do it at Barnes and Noble in their cookbook or gardening section. This has also helped her with date nights not being sad when we go out without her, cuz she recognizes that she likes that one-on-one time too.
I don’t necessarily seek alone time…but when I get it I L-O-V-E it!! I have one child who seeks alone time. My eldest son will take himself to his room, close the door, and play quietly by himself for an hour(s) depending how much he hasn’t had and how long he can get away with it. I like to have alone time at home if I can (seeing a movie alone would be dreamy but NEVER happens) I sit with a magazine(s) or give myself a pedicure or sometimes I just sit and stare and listen to the silence and make lists/dream. Ahhh….to be alone.
What a delicious reminder that solitude doesn’t need to be tragic. “Alone” doesn’t need to be lonely. Break it in two, and the word almost reads as “All” “One”.
I am a single, 43 year old woman with no children. Do I get lonely at times? Absolutely. Am I happy I walked away from people who weren’t right for me? Yes.
What a lovely video and post.
Thank you.