As a parent I know you have ALL been there. You put your kids to bed…not once, but more like 7 times. You get through the bedtime ritual of books, hugs and kisses, and then they magically reappear in front of you just as you have finally sat down to relax. It’s a constant battle. Now that my boys are older it’s not so much the sip of water, need to pee again, a mysterious boo-boo that no one can see but they can feel it. In my house, it’s the chatter because they share a room.

“Good night guys. Seriously, please just go to sleep. I let you stay up 15 minutes late.”

“Oh we will Mom. We love you.”

5 minutes later…. I’m hearing light saber noises.

“Guys!! Get to sleep!”

“Sorry Mom! We will!”

5 minutes later….laughter, a bang of a bunkbed ladder.

“Seriously!!!”

10 minutes later….chatter, chatter, whispers.

Up the stairs I go again while my freshly poured wine sits and waits for me. I just want sit and relax. On the go since 6AM, by 9:30 I’m entitled to sit on my couch with my husband, dog, and a pile of laundry, wine in hand and unwind.

This week I was just completely overwhelmed with work, school, scouts, the puppy and my house is a mess. While tucking them in I set it all straight. I was completely honest and told them how I see it.

“I work 40 hours a week. I come home and cook you all dinner. I clean up dinner. I make the lunches. I go over the homework. I get the laundry going. At 9PM, I want to sit and relax. IT IS MY TURN! I don’t want to sit down for 5 minutes and have to go up the stairs again. And then again, and again. I don’t want to shout. I want to have MY TURN to sit in peace and enjoy a TV show uninterrupted. Can you please just be fair and let me have my turn?”

“Yes, Mom.” in unison.

Guess what….they did. I didn’t have to walk up those stairs. I didn’t have to shout. I sat with my pup and drank my wine and watched This is Us without hearing a peep. I once thought I was being selfish by wanting them to go to bed so I could have my ME time, but you know what, I work hard and deserve that ME time. I deserve to turn off the Mom label for a moment and just do what I want to do. Now they understand why.