Do Whatever You Want Day

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I didn't write yesterday because I was too busy eating tons of appetizers, holding my precious niece, and visiting with family. It was a wonderful day.

I wanted to let you know about a very special holiday we Franzens developed last year. Today, which some of you refer to as Black Friday, is actually what we call Do Whatever You Want Day.

What's that, you ask? You've never heard of such a thing? Allow me to fill you in on this most wondrous occasion.

It all started last fall, when I was in the throes of obsessively watching sitcoms in the basement. I believe I was on a Big Bang Theory binge when the idea struck. As usual, we'd spent Thanksgiving with my husband's father's family, enjoying the chance to catch up and visit with relatives we sometimes only see once per year. It's always a great time. The day after, however, I was exhausted and I just wanted to chill. I wanted to sit in the basement and plow through a couple seasons of The Big Bang Theory before the DVDs were due back to the library. I didn't want to feel guilty about saddling Tim with the girls all day. I wanted us all to have a break.

So I declared it Do Whatever You Want Day and everyone felt like a winner. The girls chose to watch their favorite shows and play video games, Tim read and did random things on his phone, and I got to finish the borrowed DVDs before the late fees started rolling in. Everyone got to relax and do what they wanted, which was pretty much just be lazy and zone out in front of a screen.

We have rules about "screen time" at our house. The girls are not allowed to watch TV or play video games until 4PM. Once 4PM hits, they can turn on the TV and chill for a bit before dinner, baths, and bedtime routines begin. I figure if they were at public school, they wouldn't be sitting in front of a screen all day, so I don't want them doing that at home. I think it's fine for them to have a couple hours to laze about after a busy day of school and play. We all deserve the opportunity to relax and unwind after we've been working hard. By the time 4 hits, we are all ready for a bit of a break. It works for our family to have things clear cut like this.

So that's part of why Do Whatever You Want Day is such a treat for us. We get to be lazy and shake off the rules knowing that we'll be back to the grind of work and play soon.

This year, I spent the day in bed, reading voraciously. It was so nice to finish a book without feeling guilty, being interrupted constantly, or staying up super late. Tim alternated between reading and, again, doing random things on his phone. The kids set up Lexi's new Rock Tumbler this morning then alternated between watching TV and playing games. It was a good day.

Black Friday seems to be a good fit for us to celebrate this holiday. Tim's company gives him the day off and we aren't people who go out trying to score good deals on Christmas gifts. After the craziness of Lexi's birthday, Thanksgiving and more, it's the perfect day for us to relax and do what we want without feeling guilty. Another great day for this holiday is the day after Christmas, when everyone just wants a chance to enjoy their new gifts in peace.

I highly recommend you give Do Whatever You Want Day a try. All you need to do is pick a day when you and your family members need to relax, let go of any guilt you may have knowing that you'll be back to the grind tomorrow, and take some time to enjoying doing, well, whatever you want!

If you decide to give it a try, I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.