“No offense Mom, but it will be a Mom-Free Zone while you’re gone,” my daughter announced last week. None taken. I knew what she meant. As I went to a four day writer’s conference, she and my husband had time to themselves … Mom-Free.

No reminders mid-sentence to brush her teeth. No bionic ears to know when she’s eating snacks right before dinner. No supersonic eyes in the back of the head to know when she’s doing something she shouldn’t. Stay up late. Go out to eat. Eat candy. Mom-Free!

They had a blast and I enjoyed my time of learning and growth. But what I really got a kick out of was Sunday night when we all headed out to make a trip to the grocery store my husband said to our daughter, “Grab your coat please.” She sighed the sigh that I’ve heard so many times before as she turned to get her coat.

“She tried that every time we left the house,” he said to me.

I chuckled. It may have been Mom-Free, but it wasn’t Dad-Free.