Hubby and I are taking off for the beach for a day and a half. We just
spent 7 days in a lakeside cabin with 8 kids ages 12-22, so we are running
away.
I am thinking of the days when we were first together and we had every other
weekend with no kids as they were with their other parents (I have 2 from a
first marriage, as does he).
I think that if every marriage had every other weekend without kids, there
would be no divorce. I am *not* saying that kids cause divorce!! So please
don't flame me. What I am saying is that having that time that we were able
to dedicate to our relationship as a couple, not just as parents, was so
important to us. And now that the kids are mostly grown up (the 17 and 12
year olds are his and live with mom about a mile away) we continue to do the
kinds of things that we did when we were first together.
My best friend is having her first child in February. I will be a proxy
Nana to it, since the child has no bio grandparents and my best friend is 11
years younger than I am. I am thinking that rather than going to pick out
some cutesy outfit at Babies R Us, I will make up a booklet of gift
certificates saying I will give them weekends off. They've already invited
me to the delivery room and I will be staying with them after the birth for
as long as they need/can stand me. Maybe the best gift I can give this child
is a chance for his/her loving parents to stay that way.
Just a thought.
Off to pack.
Momma

In article <dGIXc.48301$Kt5.32615@twister.nyroc.rr.com>, "Everyboysmomma"
<noway@maine.rr.com> writes:
Hubby and I are taking off for the beach for a day and a half. We justspent 7 days in a lakeside cabin with 8 kids ages 12-22, so we are runningaway.I am thinking of the days when we were first together and we had every otherweekend with no kids as they were with their other parents (I have 2 from afirst marriage, as does he).I think that if every marriage had every other weekend without kids, therewould be no divorce. I am *not* saying that kids cause divorce!! So pleasedon't flame me. What I am saying is that having that time that we were ableto dedicate to our relationship as a couple, not just as parents, was soimportant to us. And now that the kids are mostly grown up (the 17 and 12year olds are his and live with mom about a mile away) we continue to do thekinds of things that we did when we were first together.My best friend is having her first child in February. I will be a proxyNana to it, since the child has no bio grandparents and my best friend is 11years younger than I am. I am thinking that rather than going to pick outsome cutesy outfit at Babies R Us, I will make up a booklet of giftcertificates saying I will give them weekends off. They've already invitedme to the delivery room and I will be staying with them after the birth foras long as they need/can stand me. Maybe the best gift I can give this childis a chance for his/her loving parents to stay that way.Just a thought.Off to pack.Momma

What a wonderful idea! They're very lucky to have you in their lives.

Sunee
~ To let go is not to deny but to accept ~

"Everyboysmomma" <noway@maine.rr.com> wrote in message
news:dGIXc.48301$Kt5.32615@twister.nyroc.rr.com... Hubby and I are taking off for the beach for a day and a half. We just spent 7 days in a lakeside cabin with 8 kids ages 12-22, so we are running away. I am thinking of the days when we were first together and we had every
other weekend with no kids as they were with their other parents (I have 2 from
a first marriage, as does he). I think that if every marriage had every other weekend without kids, there would be no divorce. I am *not* saying that kids cause divorce!! So
please don't flame me. What I am saying is that having that time that we were
able to dedicate to our relationship as a couple, not just as parents, was so important to us. And now that the kids are mostly grown up (the 17 and 12 year olds are his and live with mom about a mile away) we continue to do
the kinds of things that we did when we were first together. My best friend is having her first child in February. I will be a proxy Nana to it, since the child has no bio grandparents and my best friend is
11 years younger than I am. I am thinking that rather than going to pick out some cutesy outfit at Babies R Us, I will make up a booklet of gift certificates saying I will give them weekends off. They've already
invited me to the delivery room and I will be staying with them after the birth
for as long as they need/can stand me. Maybe the best gift I can give this
child is a chance for his/her loving parents to stay that way. Just a thought. Off to pack. Momma


DH and I are one of the few couples our age in our circle that are still on
our first marriage (17 years, same spouse!) and have no ex-spouses or
stepkids. While divorce isn't a pleasant thing and blended families can be
difficult, it's hard not to feel a twinge of jealousy for those parents that
can send their kids away to the other parents house for a weekend! My
brother has two kids, ages 6 and 8, and recently remarried to a gal who has
two kids also, ages 5 and 7! That sounds like a disaster, but when the kids
all go to their other bio-parents houses, my brother and his wife have more
free time than we.
Enjoy being proxy Nana to the new arrival. 8-)