15 March 2024 , 14:52
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Being a parent is the only job in the world you will never to be able to take a break from - but one dad says goodbye to his family for four weeks every year to avoid things getting "boring".
Dad-of-three Adamu Salisu will go away for a month to have a "rest" and will leave his children and wife to go and stay with a relative nearly 125 miles away.
Using the time to reset, Adamu says the break lets him "cool off" and ensures he "appreciates" his family when he is back with them. He claimed the exhaustion from looking after his family made him constantly "nag" his partner Maimuna Salisu, 27, a stay-at-home-mum.
Adamu Salisu, 35, has a month away from his kids every year (Adamu Salisu / SWNS)
Adamu and his wife Maimuna Salisu spend time apart - but he claims it makes him a better person (Adamu Salisu / SWNS)"It's better for them. Taking breaks prevents marriage break ups. You appreciate them more," the 35-year-old content writer and researcher, from Lapai, Nigeria said.
In a bid to avoid becoming a bad husband, he takes the regular breaks from his children aged seven, five and three, and has been doing it since 2020 and makes it his priority. Adamu explained: "I always wanted to be a father. If they [his kids] need anything they come to me. I didn't have any rest. I do everything for them. I didn't want to be the nagging type. I wanted to be a good husband."
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He goes to stay with his cousin where he can focus on his writing and rest a little, away from his busy duties as a dad. Despite Maimuna not agreeing with it at first, he claimed she now "appreciates it" although he knows she misses him when he's gone and added: "When I'm not around she misses me. She came to appreciate it. I take a break. There is no network. I rest. I give it priority.
He can focus and rest while he is away from his family but he knows they miss him (Adamu Salisu / SWNS)
Not only does he take month-long breaks, he also has time to himself every evening between 5pm and 8pm at a friends house (Adamu Salisu / SWNS)Adamu says he does "miss" his family but he knows the breaks make him a better dad and husband. He said: "It's good for my head. It benefits myself and my kids in equal measure. I benefit from the mental clarity and relaxation that come with taking a break. They benefit from having a happier, more present parent."
Not only does he take the month long breaks, he will go to his friends' house in the week to give him a break from 5pm to 8pm each evening, and does it so he doesn't "get bored". "If you live with someone everyday you get bored at times. Parenting is a habit and taking a break from it helps me see things from a different angle, prioritize things again, and come home with more patience and enthusiasm," Adamu concluded.