Genius? This Couple Revealed They Take Annual Leave From Parenting

“Parenting little kids is one of the most meaningful parts of life, but the gift of time is one of the best ways to support your spouse."
Malte Mueller via Getty Images

When you become a parent, all of a sudden time becomes next-level precious.

Not only do your kids grow up in the blink of an eye, but your personal time becomes extremely limited – to the point where you crave those five minutes of undisturbed peace when you go to the loo. (And even then, it’s not a given you’ll be able to relieve yourself without someone watching you.)

One dad who realised he and his wife needed to do more to give each other time off for themselves is Matt Ragland.

The parent took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to say they are working on “a family PTO (parent’s time off) plan”.

“Parenting little kids is one of the most meaningful parts of life, but the gift of time is one of the best ways to support your spouse,” he wrote.

My wife and I are working on a family PTO (parent’s time off) plan. Here’s what we are starting with.

1 night per week
Half day weekend per month
One full weekend day per quarter

Parenting little kids is one of the most meaningful parts of life, but the gift of time is one of… pic.twitter.com/XVXKDTZme5

— Matt Ragland (@mattragland) July 23, 2023

How does the plan work?

The pair take it in turns to have time away to do whatever they like, while the other parent looks after the kids.

They have one night off per week, a half-day over the weekend per month, and one full day off at the weekend every three months.

“We use these times to meet friends, sleep in, go camping, play golf (me), long runs (her), read and journal, or just chill,” explained Ragland.

“It’s hard to run life’s race on an empty tank, and these times are great ways to refuel and recharge.”

The couple also have “together time” which the father says “is mostly limited to date nights or half days on the weekend with a babysitter”.

Needless to say, fellow parents were fully on board with the idea – including those who have tried it for themselves, either as a couple or on their own.

It’s the best! We do 1-2 weekends a year and the anticipation gives us 10x the energy in everyday life

— Chris | Growth Gazette (@growth_gazette) July 23, 2023

We did something like this during the pandemic and it saved us. On Saturdays, he’d be on kid duty while I had most of the day. On Sundays, I’d be on kid duty.

— Amanda Natividad (@amandanat) July 23, 2023

Great stuff. I call our day “personal day off” https://t.co/wzoyGfX0hE

— André Oliveira (@smackingg) July 23, 2023

Good stuff. Things like this are what my wife and I keep everything together.

— David Waters - Gators Breakdown (@GatorDave_SEC) July 23, 2023

YES! My wife and I alternate solo getaway weekends every 4-6 weeks.

For mine, I usually find a cabin in the woods.

Our kids are teens now, so they don't require (or even want) as much hands-on time, giving us more individual time for hobbies and the like throughout the week.

— Josh Pigford (@Shpigford) July 24, 2023

We’ve had several weekends of leaving kids at the grandparents house

It’s been a key part of our marriage

— Josh Spilker (@joshspilker) July 23, 2023

This is something that really important but no one talks about. Reclaiming a little time makes you both a better spouse/partner and better parents.

My wife and I have staggered days off, so my day is Friday, and hers is Sunday.

— Kevin Alexander 🚢 (@KevinAlexander) July 23, 2023

Parenting can be very demanding, and it's easy to get burned out. Having time to relax and recharge is essential for both your physical and mental health. Your plan is a great example of how to balance parenting with taking care of yourself.

— Arun chandra 🚀 (@arunchandrac5) July 23, 2023

More of this, please!

Have you tried parental annual leave – or would you try it? Let us know in the comments or get in touch via @HPUKParents.

Close