If you thought 2020 presented us with changes, boy does 2021 hold a shocker for you. As we continue to adjust to life in the midst of a pandemic, we must sadly adjust our Valentine’s traditions. This means it is not entirely ethical this year to dump my kids off on a babysitter while my husband and I enjoy the one free night we have during the year. So, what should we do instead?
One option is to call the nanny and ask them to watch the baby in the other room, while we wine and dine on takeout chinese food instead of NoJa, our favorite restaurant. Instead of roasted duck and scallops, we have the pleasure of eating wontons and fried rice. What a wonderful trade-off. Option two is to send the kids to their friend’s houses and make their parents deal with all of them. This option saves me the money and time of finding a babysitter while still giving me a full Valentine’s Day off from parenting. Option three is actually watching my kids and spending Valentine’s Day with my whole family, but who wants that? Why should I have to watch them on the one day I have off? I’ve been watching kids for almost 20 years!
So, which option will I choose? Most likely lucky number one. Our nanny is always ready and willing to watch the kids for us, whether we have to work or just need time away from our “angels,” she is always a phone call away (and already on payroll). Am I going to force my husband to call NoJa months in advance to get a reservation and still get me flowers and chocolates? Of course! After all, I am the boss of our home and our company. So, we will adjust our normal Valentine’s Day plans, but we are going to make the most of a bad situation (or at least try to).
Remember Valentine’s Day is about spending time with your special someone, or, if you are single, working on yourself, or, if you are a parent, it is about getting away from the kids who will drive you nuts the rest of the year. We all have different reasons to enjoy this special day during the year, so let’s try to enjoy what we can of it, all while trying to stay safe of course!
