A short while ago—well, in the realm of parenthood, it feels like ages—my partner Alex and I had a delightful Sunday routine. Each week, we’d hire a babysitter to watch over our then 3-year-old daughter, Mia, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This precious time allowed us to enjoy brunch, stroll around our neighborhood hand in hand, play Frisbee with our dog, and most importantly, reconnect after a whirlwind week filled with work and the demands of family life.
Those three hours were like an appetizer leading up to our favorite main course: once we returned home, we’d put Mia down for her afternoon nap and retreat to our bedroom for some much-needed intimacy. Oh, how we cherished those moments—until Mia decided she was too grown-up for naps, and our routine was turned upside down.
Fast forward a few years. Mia, now 5, is in kindergarten, and both Alex and I are freelancing from home, trying to squeeze in work before her 2:45 p.m. pick-up. While we don’t have a lot of extra cash, we treasure the time we get to spend with Mia—except when school breaks roll around, which brings a unique set of challenges.
As spring break approached, dread crept in. Like many working parents, we couldn’t afford a getaway or even regular babysitting, and our usual sitters were tied up with full-time jobs. Suddenly, we were staring down a whole week with Mia at home. Panic set in!
Just as we were scrambling to arrange playdates and find new movies on Netflix, an email from her school popped up: a spring break camp was available. Excitement sparked among the other parents, with emails flying back and forth about which days their kids would attend. I figured we could manage to splurge on two days. Mia chose Arts & Crafts Wednesday and Bowling Thursday. However, by the time I signed up, bowling was fully booked, so I went ahead and paid the $90 for Wednesday, relieved that Mia could enjoy at least one day of creative fun.
Then an idea struck me—Alex and I deserved our own fun day too! After all, it was spring break. I declared a “Date Day and Fun Wednesday” and urged Alex to clear his schedule.
The day arrived. After two days of being cooped up with Mia, we were all ready for camp. But when we arrived, something felt off. The entrance was open, yet there were no signs directing us to the camp.
“Do you think camp is somewhere else?” Alex chuckled.
“It can’t be,” I replied, spotting a dad and child looking just as confused.
We followed the sounds to the cafeteria, where we found a lackluster scene. An unidentified woman handed us a clipboard to sign Mia in and then walked away.
“Shouldn’t there be a counselor?” Alex whispered.
“Maybe those adults in the back?” I gestured toward a small group that didn’t seem engaged with the kids.
In front of us were four stations, each filled with basic activities: crayons, marshmallows, Legos, and dolls. I silently prayed to my agnostic deity: Please let this be a temporary setup until the real activities begin.
We put on brave smiles. “Mia, look! Crayons and paper!” I encouraged. She sat down half-heartedly while we hugged her goodbye—no adult even noticed us leave.
Once outside, I sighed, “Well, that was totally underwhelming.”
Alex squeezed my hand. “Mia will be fine.”
“Anyone could just walk in and take a kid without anyone noticing,” I worried.
“Trust me, we’ve taken enough hits for her. She can handle this,” he reassured me, and we let go of our guilt, officially kicking off our date.
We enjoyed breakfast, opened a bottle of prosecco just for the occasion, and savored our time together. But soon, the clock reminded us it was time to pick up Mia. At least we knew where to go this time.
When we arrived, Mia rushed to us, “Mommy! Daddy!” We enveloped her in a hug, and she waved goodbye to a new friend she’d made.
“How was it?” I asked eagerly. She exhaled dramatically, “I didn’t really like it.”
“Oh no! Why not?” I asked, feeling a wave of disappointment.
“Well, we didn’t get to plant anything, and the arts and crafts weren’t really artsy,” she said with a shrug.
“Did you at least go to the playground?” Alex pressed.
“Yeah, but it just felt like a really long day,” she replied flatly.
Guilt washed over me as I mentally crafted a complaint email for a refund. By dinner, however, Mia had bounced back, and I realized this school, despite the lackluster camp day, was still great.
Now, as summer vacation kicks off, Mia is set to attend a proper camp in July, and I know she’ll love it—not just because it’s not in her school’s cafeteria, but because we visited their open house, and it was fantastic. When next spring break rolls around, I’ll be ready: I’ll sign her up faster than ever, ensure she only goes on field trip days, and grab two bottles of prosecco for us!
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Summary: This article reflects on the challenges of balancing personal time with parenting responsibilities, highlighting a couple’s attempt to reclaim their relationship during their daughter’s spring break. They navigate the ups and downs of finding suitable childcare while ultimately discovering that quality time together is paramount.