2025/08/23 A Quiet Day Without the Kids ~ A Summer Afternoon Watched Over by a Couple ~

2025/08/23

When I open the window, the heat rushes in even though it is not yet 6 o'clock. I am certain it will be another hot day.

The children are off to a cheer dance camp.
They are participating for two days and one night. For sisters in the third grade and kindergarten, I think this is quite a long time to be away from their parents.

Carrying large bags filled with their bento boxes and changes of clothes, we headed to the meeting place. We took a short break at a coffee shop in the station and arrived 15 minutes before the meeting time.

Participants were already starting to gather.

At the camp in March, I was impressed by the sight of my second daughter running off happily, saying “The older girls are here too!”I remember how the older girls welcomed her kindly, which instantly eased my anxiety as a parent.

Seeing that same scene again this time, a sense of relief spread deep within my chest.

As I watched them walk away, pride and a slight sense of loneliness coexisted in my heart.

“Go have fun and give it your all!”After sending them off, I returned home at 10 o'clock. The house, usually filled with the sound of children, was strangely quiet.

It has been a while since I had a daily life without the children, and I felt restless. But I decided to rethink it and thought, “Today, I will cherish my own time.”

The warmth of the community tasted at a ramen shop

For lunch, I met up with my husband after he finished work, and we went to a nearby ramen shop. It is a small place with 14 counter seats.

Tonkotsu soy sauce soup, flat noodles, the tenderness of the braised pork belly...
I love this shop's ramen, which is not as greasy as it looks and has a gentle flavor. I was able to savor it more slowly than usual.

A boy about the same age as my second daughter sat next to us with his father. Feeling warmed by the parent-child conversation, I was very satisfied with the delicious ramen.

The atmosphere at the counter, filled with regular customers, was the very essence of the warmth rooted in the community.

It was not a special outing. But I think the act of “thoroughly enjoying a favorite flavor”is a definite reward in life.

The afternoon was spent freely. Reading, napping, and tidying up.
I took a bath before 6 o'clock and smiled a little at the habit that continued even without the children.

A leisurely bath was a blissful time.

Seeing the children's growth through the screen

Even so, I was still curious about how the children were doing.
Once an hour, we checked the camp's dedicated blog, and my husband and I went through a rollercoaster of emotions.

It showed them dancing with smiles and looking happy while spending time with their friends.

When a group photo of the semi-grand prix members for each skill was posted, I looked for my daughter's face. When I saw she had won a prize, I clapped my hands in joy. It seems my eldest daughter was even chosen for the grand prix.

Seeing our daughters' hard work through the screen, my husband and I naturally beamed.

“They already finished their bath,” “They are eating their vegetables!”—we checked even the smallest details on the screen and couldn't stop talking.

The time we spent saying “That's amazing” to each other filled our home with warmth.

It is strange that each action, which usually passes by as a matter of course in daily life, could feel so precious.

Things you can see precisely because you are apart

While spending a relaxing day, I realized something.

That I cannot spend the day completely forgetting about the children.I think that is out of love rather than worry.

Even while enjoying my own time, a part of my heart is always connected to the children. Perhaps that is what it means to be a parent. I felt that I didn't need to feel guilty about my own time, and that it was okay.

As a small reward for myself for always working hard, it is okay to enjoy the luxury of doing nothing.

Precisely because there is time spent apart, the usual busy daily life feels even more precious. I can objectively observe the children working hard.

And I can also face myself.

What does “time spent doing nothing” mean to you?

In our busy daily lives, it might be important to allow ourselves such time.

＼ If you like, please take a look at these too ／
▶︎ From the true-to-life days of a mom who wakes up at 4 AM
　6 episodes that will stay in your heart.

▶︎ There are people who support you.
　There are days when just that fact helps you move forward!

▶︎ What is more important than the result is the peace of mind found in the accumulation of efforts.

Please start with whatever interests you♪

Thank you so much for reading until the end!
I am always grateful for your warm likes and comments.
Tomorrow, I will write about small realizations again.
I would be happy if we could find
the moments in everyday life

that put your heart at ease
together.
See you then!