Good idea!
I'm a half time single parent, so this weekend I have my daughter. I wish I could say in the past the time with my daughter was spent focused on her and doing fun family things together since I only see her a limited time. Instead, my weekends went a lot like this WITH her:
Friday: Get off work at pick her up by 6:00pm. Get home and immediately grab a beer or mix a drink. She'd even ask, "Daddy, what are you drinking?" I'd lie and say "oh, just soda, or Mt. Dew, or flavored water" thinking if she ever told her Mother, I'd get away with it. I'd drink Friday, maybe take a nap, and let her watch TV all night while I pretty much ignored her until bedtime.
I'd even skip the cuddle session with her before bed, and book reading, because I just wanted to get back to my drink ( Gosh this is hard to write out, my daughter is only 4)
Saturday: I'd sleep late into the morning, my daughter would get up early and I'd just put a movie on for her and go back to bed. She'd tell me she's hungry and I'd make her a quick waffle in the toaster and go back to sleep. By the time I woke up, I still felt awful. USUALLY the guilt would set in and we'd go to a park, or meet up with family, or spend Saturday doing something "normal." But of course I'd have a bottle of coke mostly mixed with rum or vodka.
By Sunday: I was a physical and emotional wreck. The guilt of wasting my weekend with my daughter sets in and we barely do anything together.
THOSE DAYS ARE DONE!
Now, for how it's going to go.
Friday: Pick daughter up, go to my sister's for a family dinner so my daughter can play with her two cousins. Probably movie night with the 3 kids and a sleepover.
Saturday: There is a festival in the park where I live with tons of craft booths and kids toys, inflatables, etc. I will be taking her there and we'll spend as much time outside as possible. She just learned how to ride a 2-wheel bike and I can't wait to get her out on the bike some more
Sunday: Wake up early together and snuggle, read books in the morning. I'll take her out for a nice lunch and we'll bop around town together until I drop her back off with her Mom.
First weekend sober in a very long time coming up. I'm nervous, but excited, and I know exactly where my focus will be.
I love my little girl, now it's time to act like it.
