I went on a 'momcation' when I realized how much I missed my alone time. Just 24 hours to myself left me feeling reenergized.

06.08.2023 - 12:03 / insider.com

Before I became a mother, people told me I'd miss rest. I thought that was silly. I had waited my whole life to have a baby, and in my mind's eye, all I saw was us doing things like walking everywhere hand in hand, baking in the kitchen, and singing together. 

Luckily, life with my firecracker 21-month-old is not far off from what I had always dreamed of. But there are parts of my "old life" that I never knew I'd miss so much. And even though it may seem obvious, parenting can be difficult, no matter how dreamlike your child is.

For almost two years, I've been able to truly relax and be myself only in small windows of time, in the margins of motherhood. The people who told me I would miss rest were right: It's a rare commodity.

To reclaim some of the parts of me I've missed, I started taking "momcations" to remember what it was like before I was always needed.

On social media, there are plenty of videos from influencers that stress the importance of spending as much time with your kids as possible because time goes quickly and "you only get 18 summers with them." While I understand the intention, it can feel like the implication is that we aren't supposed to take time for ourselves, and that's a lot of pressure.

Thankfully, other mothers are providing another perspective and taking time back for themselves on momcations. The idea is that by taking the time to decompress, they'll be better parents when they come back home. Many #momcation videos on TikTok have hundreds of thousands — even millions — of views.

I broached the idea of a momcation with my husband, who thought it was a great idea, having been on the receiving end of me telling him how jealous I was of his hourlong commute to work some days. In between the joy and chaos of my everyday life, I was craving silence, stillness, and the ability to relax in a way that isn't brainless scrolling on TikTok for an hour before bed. 

A week later, it was time. I'd gone through the plan with my husband multiple times before leaving, which included our daughter's snacks, clothes, and bedtime routine (he's an excellent caregiver without my help, but I was nervous to leave her for the first time), and I was ready to go.

With 24 hours of complete freedom ahead of me, I headed to London's Soho to do some creative work in the Ham Yard Hotel bar before switching off to drink berry tea while my pedicurist worked her magic in the hotel's Soholistic Spa.

Next, I checked into Corinthia London — which happens to be the preferred hotel of Beyoncé and Jay-Z when they're visiting the area. With in-house restaurants featuring Michelin-starred chefs as well as the largest hotel spa in London, it's no surprise why. If it's fit for Queen Bey, it's good enough for me.

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