Yahoo Finance This dad explains why he prioritizes his wife’s need for alone time after kids
You don’t need us to tell you how much invisible labor moms take care of every waking hour of the day. One dad has gone viral for sharing that he makes sure to prioritize his wife’s alone time every single week, revealing that they routinely offer each other sufficient time to do whatever is they’d like without the burden of childcare or domestic tasks.
Former NFL player and motivational speaker Cedric Thompson Jr. shared the video on TikTok and Instagram back in February, reminding moms that they “should not feel guilty for having alone time.” It quickly racked up more than 1.6 million likes and 16,000 comments, sparking conversations about how dads can and should do all they can to strike a balance for their partners.
“My wife has alone time every single week,” he says of his wife, Charlotte Thompson. “And what she does with her alone time, quite frankly, is none of my business. All I know is that when she’s out having her alone time, I don’t want her to worry. I don’t want her to feel rushed. I want her to take her time. Because I understand how important that time is.”
“I don’t want her to get lost in being a mother or a wife,” he continues. “I want her to take the time to remind herself who she is and the things that she wants to do, whether that’s to go out and debrief and just not think about anything or go out and do something that makes her feel good. Her alone time is hers.”
“At the end of the day, we’re a team,” he concludes. “My wife is my teammate. And sometimes your teammates need a break. When she comes back home and puts those hats back on, she can wear those hats in the way that she wants to after being rejuvenated from having that alone time.”
The couple shares three daughters, aged 6, 4, and 1, and Thompson told Newsweek they began carving out time each week for “uninterrupted alone time” in 2023, adjusting the schedule as needed based on work, family responsibilities, and anything else that might arise.
“Alone time is essential and should be prioritized, especially in a relationship. I always say the best way to care for yourself is by caring for others. I want my wife to remember who she is outside of being a mother and a wife, and I believe she does that by having time to herself,” he told the outlet.
Dads and husbands out there, take notes, because this is how it’s done. Wives and mothers deserve time to do whatever it is they want to rest and recharge without worrying about what’s happening at home, and it’s on their partners to make sure they get it.
