Ok, have the tears at the school gates dried yet? (be they yours or your child’s, tears of joy or of sadness!)

Whether you’ve waved off a troublesome teen, an excited junior or an apprehensive first timer, you may finally find yourself with some free time for you. And after the seemingly endless summer ‘holiday’ (were there ever six weeks so undeserving of that title?) you are surely entitled to indulge yourself a little?

Now many years ago, far too many to be honest, when I left my youngest in reception (the class, not the vestibule obviously), I got back in the car and kept driving through the tears until I reached the sanctuary of the nearest spa hotel. A dip in the pool, massage and facial didn’t just make me feel a whole lot better, it gave me a much needed reminder that I was someone other than a mum.

And so this became an almost daily ritual (minus the tears). Well, minus the facial and massage as well but with the inclusion of membership to the gym. Which was just as well given that this little routine was often followed by a spot of lunch with a few other mums, ignoring the pangs of maternal guilt, reminding ourselves that we were not Stepford Wives and this is after all, the 21st Century (actually, this was still in the 20th but we can gloss over that...)

The negative consequences of this heinous dereliction of duty did not stretch far beyond not always getting the ironing done and the occasional cobweb covered cobweb.

The benefits however were far reaching. Mums as people, proper adult conversation (ok, and sometimes not so adult!), an actual social life, and all hail the treadmill… two dress sizes down by Christmas… even WITH the lunches!

Happy mums equal happy kids. See, we weren’t even doing it for ourselves, we were doing it for them!

So why not make some of your 'free time, me time'?

Get fit!

Haverhill Leisure Centre, run by Abbeycroft Leisure offers an indoor swimming pool and a fully equipped, air conditioned fitness studio. Friendly, fully qualified staff are always on hand to guide and advise you, and can devise a personalised fitness programme to make sure you get exactly what you want from your workout.

If you prefer your exercise in a group format, health and fitness classes in the dance studio or main hall could be just your thing. Work on those Legs, Bums and Tums or try Zumba or Bodypump classes… try them all and find what suits you best.  Haverhill Leisure Centre has a fun fitness package for everyone.

Click here for more information about Haverhill Leisure Centre.

Learn a new sport!

If you fancy your exercise out in the fresh air, and to present something of a challenge, why not head over to Haverhill Golf Club. Now you might not get all hot and sweaty, but the 18-hole, 6067 yard course is quite a walk, and once you get your swing right, it’s a proper waist whittler!

The course is set over stunning parkland and if you’ve never tried your hand at golf before They offer free group days for adult beginners, followed by an 8 week low cost course of lessons.

And when you’ve completed the course the clubhouse beckons, offering a well stocked bar and a menu of delicious, freshly cooked food seven days a week.

For a special offer on Haverhill Golf Club’s Parklands Academy Membership go to our Offers page.

Please click here to find out more about Haverhill Golf Club.

Pamper yourself

Now all kids think their mum is beautiful, but there’s no harm in justifying that with a little beautification from time to time is there?

Arevolution in Haverhill is the beauty salon that can give you top to toe treatments. Wow them at the school gates with luscious lashes, amazing nails or a St Tropez tan. Be fresh faced with a facial or just relax with a massage. Remember, this is ultimately for them not you!

On our Offers page you can find a 15% discount on Arevolutions’s deep cleansing Deluxe Vitalizing Facial which includes an extensive facial massage designed to leave your skin radiant. Please click here to access the offer.

Further information about Arevolution can be found by clicking here.

Get some spice in your life!

If you fancy being a lady who lunches with a difference, why not take a trip to the Raj Mahal in Haverhill and choose from a mouth watering selection of authentic Indian dishes from across the Continent.

If you think Indian always has to mean hot, think again. At Raj Mahal the emphasis is on quality, flavour and choice, meaning whether you like it spicy or favour it fragrant, there’s something to suit.

Open from 12 noon until 2.30pm every day, Haverhill Indian restaurant, Raj Mahal also do a takeaway service, meaning you can pick up dinner for the rest of the family on your way out!

Click here for further details about the Raj Mahal in Haverhill.

So take advantage of your free time, share it with friends, relax a little, take care of your health and wellbeing – the housework will still be there tomorrow. Although of course you could always get a cleaner….