What do you do when you're child-free?

For the first time in over a year, I am having a child-free day (well, 6hrs in a row!) each week. But I have no idea what to do with myself. I have had 2 days so far, one day I had to wash a heap of sheets and doonas, teddies and blankies (as in snuggly/comfort blankies!) because both of my big kids wet their beds :rolleyes: so I figured I'd do all of the beds that day rather than another; and last week I HAD to go grocery shopping and then ended up giving the fridge a really good propper clean out. But I don't really want to be doing that sort of stuff on my one day 'off' every week.
I dont' have an hobbies that I do, and my friends all have children of their own, so going out for coffees or anything isn't really a great option for a child free day! Though I wouldn't mind sometimes since they're not my kids...
So if you get any childfree chunks of time, what do you do? Please give me some ideas!

Not that I get it often but maybe haircut, nails done?
Movie alone (at home or cinema)
Massage



Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!

I had just under two hours today and i had a massage and weeded the garden. It was the first time since before christmas.

You could just relax, read a bit, catch up on phonecalls etc. Do you want to study? Do a yoga class? Swim? Take a class in some hobby or craft? Or just pee on your own? (;))

I go to the gym, do the shopping, tidy the house, have sex in the lounge room, read the paper from cover to cover at a cafe, watch M rated movies.....

My favourite things are:
- sit in a cafe or go out for Vietnamese and enjoy an uninterrupted meal while reading the paper.
- have my hair done
- read a book

I love the peace and quiet.

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I go to the gym, do the shopping, tidy the house, have sex in the lounge room, read the paper from cover to cover at a cafe, watch M rated movies.....

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Pretty much the same, except for the gym.

Sometimes I catch up with friends. It is so nice being able to chat without the distraction of my own children.

My child free days are when i am at work, i haven't had a full day to myself for close to 2 years now..

I think the longest iv actually been at home by myself is 1.5 hours when DP took her for a walk.

clean, have a nap (bliss), watch a movie, read books or magazines. sometimes go for lunch with a friend etc

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OMG....sex during the day....we haven't done that for ohhh, about 5yrs! LOL And the thought of peeing on my own...ahhh, bliss!

And gardening is a great idea, ours is a bit of a jungle at the moment! And reading, I haven't read a book for about 5yrs either! I will have to visit the library! Oh and a guilt free nanna nap...ahhh, the possibilities :D

I am a little limited by money and where we live (a little town in the outback!). We have no cinema or shopping centre, 3 relatively decent cafe's, nowhere I can just go and window shop. There aren't any classes or anything on the day or times I have free, so no luck with any gym classes or anything like that :(

maybe you could learn a hobby online? even an online book club? you are going to love having this time! I honestly don't think I could live without it now I've had it.

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I don't have any child-free time yet but I was only just thinking about it earlier and I had no idea what I'd do with myself. Some good ideas.

Read and bathe. I have the most incredibly superb bath tub in my ensuite that (luckily for the conservationists) I almost never use because my idea of having a bath is not the same as my DDs' ideas! So, when I have a truly free day that is not otherwise devoted to cleaning, washing, ironing and grocery shopping I turn on the ipod, pour myself a long icy drink (these days non-alcoholic but hey, good enough), climb in the bath, fill it with water and bubbles and read until I turn into a prune. Poor DH who works from home used to think it was my suggestion of a bit of a different variation to the nooner - he soon got the message when I shooed him away and told him that in fact yes, I WAS serious when I told him I didn't want company!!

Enjoy your child free time. As much as I adore my children I LOVE a bit of down time to myself.

Thinking about it, I've gone to my mothers group catch ups without kids. I find them incredibly relaxing and enjoyable without worrying is DS2 needs a sleep and if DS1 is going to bite someone's face off.

Rare here too, as I am a working Mum I generally prefer to spend my non working time with DS but sometimes a Mummy just needs a Mummy Morning/Arvo etc

I've had a massage, watched a movie (without having to press pause once!!) Caught up on my TO DO LIST - pottered around the house doing little jobs, caught up on phone calls, gone to the hair dresser, ran errands

This seems a bit funny - but I like going to the post office - maybe because it is such a hassle with kids it seems so nice to go without them. Quite enjoy going for a swim. Going for coffee and sushi or just catch up with friends (even if they have their kids with them - still like it)

Lulu, your baths sound divine! Unfortunately the bath in this house is the tiniest bath you can get! I can't stretch out in it and the only part of me that's covered properly is my butt! Though I would love to have a nice deep bath to relax in. I used to read in the bath when I lived at mums, she had a deep spa bath, mmmm, soooo relaxing!

Fabfiona, I had thought of going to mothers group without the kids, lol. Felt a bit silly about it though....

don't you dare do any housework (inside or out!!) on your child free day!!

massage and pedicure, if there's cash-ola available ...

hot bubble bath with candles, music and malteasers ... with a mag or novel ...

go to a cafe then window shop then have lunch out ...

sit in the sun somewhere, lay down and read with a bottle of juice, sandwich and have a nap ...

go to the pool ...

whatever makes you happy and relaxes you!

things you can't justify the rest of the time - things like the gardening, the shopping, the gym there's always some time for - but baths and lunches and browsing? much harder!

Go to the movies. Take myself out for coffee and cake, with a good book or magazine. Go shopping for underwear or shoes. Phone a friend and visit. Go to an event at the local council or library. Start a craft project. Look up an old friend and ring them or send an email. Clean out a drawer. Go through your old photos with a glass of wine. Start a journal or a scrap book. Plant a few seedlings. Have a snooze. Or a daydream. Go for a walk or a bike ride. Bust out a yoga DVD. Go op shopping!

I had a child free hour last week and I went to spotlight and an opshop, it was very weird not having to keep an eye on cman!

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OMG....sex during the day....we haven't done that for ohhh, about 5yrs!

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Having a shiftworking DH, make the most of that!!

If I am really tired, I will have a nap, and not feel guilty about nothing else being done..

But I enjoy having lunch that I don't get the 3rd degree over, watching recorded shows.. Reading a trashy mag, going for a walk.. I just enjoy the serenity of it!

I don't get child free days (I have one child gone and look after one child on Mon and Tues) but if I did, I'd get my hair cut (I'm dying to do that now!) or just treat yourself to a nice day out - go to a coffee shop and have a coffee and perhaps lunch.

I work :( But if I didn't do that then I would go to the movies, sleep, potter around the house, something relaxing.

Right now, I'm writing a proposal for work. And if you're one of my friends and happen to know what/why I'm doing it - don't tutt tutt! You'll know how much I'm stressing about the whole thing!

But usually I train...or go to appointments like physio. Although I did go out to brunch with a friend last week and am doing the same on Mon...

Oh oh it's a bit of a woo hoo but i'm getting possibly 2 child free nights next week and 1 of them is for a lovely dinner with some of my beautiful BB gals the day after my birthday... eeeeeekkkkkkk so exciting.
The other is to go to BINGO :rofl:

Well in 2 years time I plan on - going to the gym, doing one job a day and then shopping(opshop and new), napping, reading, catching up with friends, movies, out for lunch, walking on the beach, swimming and just being alone....all in time for school pick up of course lol!
I can't wait! Currently kid free time is at work too so I say enjoy!!!

I have a child free day every Thursday (today YAY!) and last year it was every Friday while DS2 was at preschool. After I drop him off I would go to the newsagents, but the papers and go to my fave cafe/deli and sit and have a long coffee and banana bread and read the papers taking as long as I want to. I usually use the day to have hair appointments etc when I need them and I do volunteer as a reading tutor at the kid's school. I I have the time I go to the library and do Uni stuff or sometimes I will just read.

I'm having two child-free days a week now (DP often works weekends). The first day I did some decluttering, contacted an architect and arranged to see a mortgage broker. I'm also planning to do some decorating - we moved here 18 months ago but the house needs some finishing touches. Today, I've done some writing (planning on doing some freelancing) and later in the year I want to do my Masters and start going to the gym regularly.

The first day was weird. Felt bereft and felt I should be doing housework. Got past that pretty quickly :)

I get bored - REALLY bored!!!

Usually I distract myself with housework or (like right now) bum around on BB :lol:

Doing my best, I have a shift worker hubby too, though unfortunately for the first time in ages, he's working days at the moment!! LOL

MG, I hope you got your proposal done, I get that you want to do it without the distraction of having your children around. I can't think of much else if I can hear my kids. I can't read books when they're home anymore because I am always half listening out for thema nd can't concerntrate :( .

ZF, woah, TWO whole days....goodness! Enjoy hun! Sounds like you will have a great time. BTW, I love bingo! I used to go with my nanna!

Ash, that's usually what I would do too, but I just don't want to be cleaning when I do that every other day too. I am trying to think of something to do that will be for times when I am on my own and can dedicate myself to it without interruptions of little people!

Well, I ended up making myself stop cleaning and go out for breaky! I did have to do some house-y stuff, I had to change my bed (DS1 wet it, yuck!!) and wash and hang the sheets out, I had to go grocery shopping because we seriously had nothing left to eat, no fruit, veggies, cerial, bread, milk, eggs or butter I also got myself some yummy homemade biscuits to enjoy. So I did that and then made myself stop. I had a yummy breaky, brought a trashy mag and then fluffed about on the computer for a while, looking at realestate, furniture, expensive jewellery and shoes and all that sort of stuff I can't buy but would love to!