As moms, we sometimes act as if we know more than the fellas when it comes to our little ones. News flash — most of us don’t! We often apply ourselves more and give our men the out. But the time will come when you — yes, you, mom! — are over it and desperately need a break. And you’re entitled to want to get away for a minute or a while — or just find a pocket of your home where you can be alone.

But you might find that right when you need that break most, you’ll hear from your significant other, “What?! I don’t know what to do without you!” While ideally, that sounds oh so sweet, it’s the last thing you want to hear when you need some “me” time.

But it might be time to take some of the blame.

It’s gotta be said, ladies: In many cases, you can take a lot of the blame for the behavior of your not-so-hands-on spouse. I’ve had many mom friends complain about taking on the heaviest load in their home when it comes to the kids, but I’ve found that they haven’t allowed or pushed their spouse to share those duties equally.

Some moms feel as if “This is MY baby, and I’m the only one who knows how to take care of her.”

OK, so when you need a minute to yourself, can you take it without feeling like your house will fall apart? Moms, we are fabulous and capable and powerful, and when those motherly instincts kick in, there’s no stopping us. But dads are competent, too. Here’s how to pass off some of those parenting duties without feeling guilty or concerned.

It’s fine to start slow.

There’s never a wrong time for dad to step up. Even if you feel like it’s too late — because your kids are older — and it feels like your man needs as much supervision as they do, he should, can, and will step up. He is just as much a parent as you are. Let him be that parent. Let him be in charge on occasion. Step away for a while.

Trust the process.

He WILL be OK. He WILL figure it out — because he has to. Give him all the details before you jet, if it’s necessary — “The breastmilk is in the fridge right here,” or, “We work on the ABC Mouse app 15 minutes a day, so log on” — and hand him his phone, and tell him his mama or cousin is just a click away if he starts to freak out. (OK, he can call you or text you, too. But the point is for you to totally unplug for a bit.)

If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.

For those with a newborn, yes, of course, it’s hard to be away from your child when she is so little and so needy — and for some, it’s hard to relinquish control. But jump in your car and go for a drive, go for a walk, step out and grab a cup of coffee, or run a bath and lock the bathroom door. And leave your child with her father. Think of this time as preparation for the inevitable moments when you’ll need to decompress. Baby daddy cannot get acclimated to taking care of baby solo in these moments. He has to be ready for this because the last task you need when you’re about to snap is giving a tutorial to your child’s father about being a father.

Find a parenting balance.

There will be things in which you excel at when it comes to the kids, and there will be things your spouse is great at doing. Zero in on those strengths to create a sweet at-home synergy that helps eliminate those state-of-emergency moments. It would be best if you didn’t have to do it all, all the time. You both got this!