How to Sneak in Me Time with Netflix

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Remember when I asked all my friends what they were watching on Netflix to create this handy dandy list so you wouldn’t have to ask what you should watch next on Netflix?

If you missed it, let me give you a little recap. I had almost 70 recommendations of what to watch, including 26 Netflix Originals.

Guess how many of those 70 were “family-friendly”?

Nine. As in, one less than ten.

There were a few others that might be fine for tweens and teens but most of them wouldn’t appeal to kids or would be soooo inappropriate for kids. Heck, there are plenty that I wouldn’t even watch with my husband (we definitely have different tastes).

So what’s a mom to do? It’s call a #MomSneak and I’m going to teach you all about it.

How to #MomSneak

When you just need a few minutes to watch a show and you can’t seem to get it, you need to pull off a mom sneak. Luckily, it’s easy to do because Netflix is everywhere. Like errywhere. On your phone? Yep. iPad? You bet. How about your computer? Of course. On your TV? Duh.

Anytime you get a few quiet minutes of alone time, get your favorite device set up and go.

Here are a few of my strategies.

1. When your kid asks if he can go in the other room and play Xbox for a few hours, LET HIM. Just make sure he puts on his headphones so he can’t hear the string of profanities coming out of the TV while watching Orange Is The New Black. If he comes out of the room at any time (to grab a snack, to go to the bathroom), dramatically pause the TV and sit in silence so that you’re making it very clear he’s interrupting your time.

2. When you go to your office to “work on your blog,” open up Netflix in another tab and grab a few minutes of House of Cards. If your husband comes into to your office to ask how things are going, tell him you’re doing “research.”

3. Bring your iPad to bed with you. As soon as your husband falls asleep (which is literally when his head hits the pillow), whip out those earbuds and watch the next episode of Grace and Frankie.

4. Head to the gym for a good workout. And by workout, I mean a comfortable pace on a stationary bike so you can still hold your phone and watch Stranger Things.

Now that you’ve gotten the hang of mom sneaking, that begs the next question.

Why Should You #MomSneak

Look. I love my family. I really do. I love all of the superhero shows we watch. But I’m outnumbered. I’m the only female in the house and sometimes I want my own show. It’s not even like it’s a chick flick I want to watch. I just want my own headspace and I don’t want to have to explain anything.

And, let’s face it, most of the good shows on Netflix are TV-MA. And that MA means MATURE. Like, kids shouldn’t even be within earshot or else you’ll have a lot of explaining to do.

Here’s my latest obsession: The Walking Dead.

I know, I know. Season 8 is getting ready to start and I’m just starting season 2. That’s part of the beauty of Netflix! But it is not a kid’s show, as I’m sure you know. And my husband tried watching it with me and it bothered him. So, by default, it’s become my solo show.

Now, I find myself heading up to the bedroom to fold and put laundry away and ensuring the task takes right around 43 minutes, if you know what I’m saying.

Let Me Help You With That #MomSneak

What do you need from me to help you get your alone time?

Need me to watch your kids? Forget it.

Need me to recommend some sneakalicious shows? I can do that.

Need me to help you set up Netflix on any of your devices? Yep, I know how to do that too.

This post is part of my monthly contribution to the Netflix Stream Team community.