I remember sitting on the couch as a child, happily playing with my Colorforms or Barbies, when suddenly a wave of fear and sadness would wash over me. It was Sunday evening, and the clock was ticking away to the end of the weekend. I could feel the dread in the pit of my stomach as I anticipated the events of the next day.
Monday meant leaving the safety and comfort of home for the scary uncertainty of school. Would the mean girl on the bus who was twice my size tell me she hated me and glare at me from across the aisle? Would I get in trouble with the teacher for talking too much in class? Would the queen bee of the playground welcome me into the fold or would I wind up alone on the swingset?
I hated Sunday because it meant Monday was coming, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Even though it’s no longer me who has to face school in the morning, I still dread Monday’s arrival. Monday means my kids venture out into the world where I have no control over their safety or comfort. What if the carpool driver or bus taking them to school gets into an accident? What if they fail a test? What if they are excluded at the lunch table? These thoughts plague me every day as they walk out the door, but especially on Monday.
Why are Mondays the hardest? After the kids head off to school, my husband goes to work, and it’s just me and the dog at home. My abandonment issues kick into high gear because after spending two days with the three people I love the most, they all leave me behind. It sounds silly, I know. They have to go, and it’s not as if they aren’t coming back. Mondays just make me realize how much I hate it when they’re gone.
I have yet to come up with a way to make the Sunday blues disappear entirely, but spending the evening together as a family definitely helps. Usually the four of us hang out in the kitchen and make a special dinner. We try to come up with a new recipe or we make something that requires extra time and isn’t conducive to our weeknight schedule crunch.
After a Sunday evening of laughing, talking and eating with my family, Monday doesn’t feel quite so ominous. The family bonding makes it a little easier when everyone walks out the door the next morning. But I still can’t wait for them all to come home.
Do you suffer from “Sunday night syndrome”? How do you cope?
I never suffered Monday blues exactly as you described as far as missing. We always spent our Sundays just as you do and it became my favorite day of the week because it was always just the four of us! What bothered me about Mondays when the kids were school age WAS the stress of what school brought to my son, in particular. That was always stress and what I never looked forward to. I’d long for the weekend for when we could really all be together again. I get this!
Yes! It’s more the dread for our kids and what they may have to go through than our personal anxiety. Oh, the joys of motherhood! 🙂
Back when my husband and I were first working outside the home – we called it the Sunday Sad-dies. It would start Sunday afternoon. Ugh. Don’t have it so much anymore because with my writing, when I have projects, I usallly work as much on that work as during the weekday. I’ve been wanted to make Sunday a work free zone. It’s hard to do but I think I need to spend a day focusing on family.
It’s not easy to do, but it’s worth it if you can manage it. I know what it’s like, though, to have to squeeze in those work hours whenever you possibly can — even on the weekends. Such a juggling act.
My friends and I use to call it Sunday Night Depression…and we started embracing it and planning something..comfort food, a good movie and it seemed to help. I don’t dread it as much as I once did.
Sounds perfect, Robbie!
For me, the Sunday blues come and go. They were much worse when I was a kid having social difficulties in school and when I worked in stressful office situations.
Now it depends equally on the anxiety levels of my husband and kids. If everyone’s happy, Mama’s usually happy too.