Do you ever get the feeling as a mother that you are just stretched too thin, and too many ways?
For so long, we had a busy schedule and things always felt rushed and out of order, and for abour 2 months now things have slowed way down, to a point where I felt I could manage things better.
Our daily schedule was: (i would do all of this, the hubby works from 6am to 4pm, and sometimes later)
8:15 - Out the door, drop the 2 older kids at school
9:00 - Drop the youngest off at the sitters (she takes him to school at 1)
9:15 - Go into work
2:15 - Off of work to pick up the 2 older kids from school
2-4 - Clean house, laundry, get dinner prepared
4:00 - Pick up the youngest from pre-school (sometimes hubby would be able to do this for me)
4-8 Dinner, homework, baths, bedtime (never easy)
Until now!! My husbands co-worker up and moved to Texas with about 3 days notice, so he will now be taking over both shifts. He will come in later in the morning, but stay until late in the evening. GREAT! I will have help in the morning, BAD I will go at it alone at night.
Our new schedule has me feeling scared! Very scared! I was so used to having nights as a time to get things done around the house, and maybe even escape to my scrapbook room for a little while. I used that time to go grocery shopping, and even thrifting once in a while.. or I guess quite often.
I need help with getting my children into a routine after school since I will not have my hubby's help. I am thinking along the lines of a chore chart, but for basic tasks, such as.....
Hang Up coats and backpacks
homework
read for 15 minutes
pick up bedrooms
bath
brush teeth
take dirty clothes to the laundry room
And then.... how do I manage? It feels so foreign to me to think that I wont have the freedom that I am used to. I know mothers do this everyday, and in fact I idolize those of you that do. But believe me, this is sooo new to me, it's scary.
I was so used to the morning routine, and don't get me wrong, I wont miss that since I am not at all a morning person, but nights are going to be way harder.
Please please please give me any feedback, tips or links you may have as helping suggestions for my dillemas! LOL
Ok, well thank you for letting me vent! And on a good note, my mouth is feeling much better, and
See you all soon!
First off... just breathe! =)
ReplyDeleteAs crazy as the new schedule may sound... just give yourself a chance and you will work out all the kinks.
Schedule, schedule, schedule! And plan yourself quite a few "crock pot meals" for the first couple weeks to cut down on the dinner prep.
Our 5 year old Gunner is in bed by 8pm and our 4 month old Layken is in bed by 9 pm... the hubbs wakes up at 4am for work so he's in bed by 9:30 most nights and then it's my time to shine... cleaning, laundry, me time, facebook time (whoops, that's me time!), shower and getting the next days stuff all packed up. It's amazing what you can get accomplished after the house is quiet and you have the undivided time to devote to getting what you need to get done!
No real answers for ya, jsut that things will fall into place... hopefully faster than slower =)
Amanda
You'll get it done. My husband often travels for work, and it's difficult, but we adjust. If I have some notice that he's leaving, I try to batch cook a bunch of pop-in-the-oven-ready meals for the freezer to ease the dinnertime rush, but otherwise, each night that I'm on my own, I double up what I'm cooking and throw the other half in the freezer for another night.
ReplyDeleteI try to keep the youngest's schedule pretty much the same for bedtime, etc, but that often means the oldest stays up a bit later while I get his brother down.
We really don't over-schedule things. I've learned that while it's useful to have a routine, it's counterproductive to be too rigid.
Good luck! You'll figure it out.
Look at the bigger picture-he has a job! Good luck, you'll make it work!
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