The VIA train took my baby away this morning, off to the Big Smoke for 2 days of conference excitement. This is the first time in 5 years that Kristen will spend a night away from the little dude. That’s right, in 5+ years, she’s never had a full 24 hours off from mom duty. Which also means that I’ve never been the sole parent in charge for more than a day.
When she first told me of the opportunity to attend the conference, I flinched a little bit. The long list of jobs and challenges that I would now be responsible for was a little bit daunting, and I started to fuss over it. Luckily, I took a step back and thought about it for a moment. I remembered how enjoyable my few recent excursions as an independent adult have been, and I realized how good this little work vacation away would be for Kristen.
And it’ll be good for Max and me too. We’re having a couple of days of dude time, complete with Lucky Charms, Lunchables, and Lego Batman 2. I’m looking forward to spending the time with him and I know we’re going to have a fun (albeit unhealthy) couple of days.
But, to be honest, I can already feel the creeping sense of loneliness I get when I’m single parenting. The first wave of it washed over me when I dropped Max off at day camp this morning. I shouldn’t be so easily affected by it, but I’ve always been a sensitive child.
As an aside, it just occurred to me that Kristen is going to Toronto the morning after the flash flooding there. I hope she can safely navigate the waterlogged streets and avoid the occasional swamp gator she may see on her trip.
Chris Loblaw, Author 