Monday, October 31, 2005

Me Time/We Time

Blogroll Me!

I came up with an idea this a.m. en route to work, and thought it to be a good one.

My late-August - September "free" time was taken up by two freelance projects. When I was offered these copy editing assignments, I was pleased, because it was new clientele I'd be working for and like most anyone thinks: "Maybe this gig will lead to another one..."

In any case, many of September's Sundays were beautiful days; I should have been outdoors with my children, taking them to parks and other venues. But what was I doing? Sitting at the dining room table, papers, Post-Its, reference books and red pencils spread out around me. And the excuses tumbled out one after the other: "Sorry, I can't play with you now. Sorry, it's so nice out but we can't go anywhere. SORRY, SORRY, SORRY." (the lyrics to "Cat's in the Cradle" kept running through my head as I thought of this imbalanced parent-child relationship)

After my deadlines, I said to my husband, "It was so not worth it. Even a thousand dollars for both projects would not have made it worth my while... I should have been with the kids."

So, I decided that when I get my two paychecks for these assignments, for the few hundred dollars that it will be, I will take the money and plan for a weekend or even overnight family getaway at a family-oriented hotel. The "Me" time that I spent last month will become the "We" time that it should have been.

4 comments:

MC Aryeh said...

Good for your Pearl!...and for your family...

Stacey said...

Great idea, Pearl. I truly believe the most important thing we can give our children is our time.

Anonymous said...

-smile-

what's really nice is how you shared that in a way that inspires yet conveys no personal pride.

cruisin-mom said...

Pearl...wise choice...the time goes faster than you can ever imagine...they suddenly turn into teenagers and then adults faster than you can blink. Time spent together is better than anything (especially when they are still willing, and still think you are smart, and funny, and the most important person in the world!!)