{Our Days}

are so incredibly full.

i've been struggling with balance lately.

and i wonder how everyone else manages it?!

((we do A LOT.  & i feel like we're non-stop on the go, with our week scheduled and filled to the limit - and then with me attempting to squeeze work in after bedtime each night...))

we had 15 minutes of just 'at-home-play-time' yesterday... (after dinner and before bedtime).

& yes noah really likes to wrestle with evan and just try to "sit" on him ;)

and i think that it was the best 15 minutes of our week.

:)

i would love to know how you all manage to make sure that you have alloted "family" and "home" time each week?  do you actually schedule it?  do you have dedicated at-home days?

...because we need more of *this* on a regular basis.

:)

 

Comments

[sophie]

Hello dear Susan!! I can see you are going through one of these "hard mothers day"!! I am a mother of 2 too and I know how you feel. I don't know how the weeks are in the US but if France kids have wednesdays off school. I used to plan a lot of activities for this day but then realized we were all very tired at the end of the week. I think the thing is to understand that you are not Mary Poppins, you do not have to organize activities in order to have happy children. sometimes it is even better to play in the lounge than to go to the park!! so kids have time to get into their own games at their own pace.
I am a teacher and the only time I have to work is after bed time! it is very tiring but there is no other ways for me! I think I just have to accept that I won't have much free time until both are grown up! and sometimes , i don't like the idea!!
anyway, I hope you find your pace and a satisfaying organization for your week!!

[Monica Brown]

Hey Susan! I have four little guys and I know just how you feel! My days just fly by. I am trying to alleviate the craziness by scheduling a little better. On Sundays I try to take stock of our evening schedule and plan my meals out. I then try to make my shopping errands lists and see if I can get the majority of my shopping/errands done on one day. Then I try to pick one or two days where I am not gonna leave my house....we call those pajama days. I am also trying to be better about not over scheduling us. It is hard to say no to fun outside the house but sometimes I have to. Good luck!

[Jessica]

It's rough, isn't it? We hit a low point not that long ago as well. We were all just so burnt out. We've made a new rule...the girls' fun "extras" happen during track out (our year round school version of summer). That is when we do things like gymnastics camps, swim lessons, etc. Above all we try to leave our evenings free for family dinners and games of Sorry and Uno. :-) During the in-school time, we schedule VERY little extra during the evenings. If we're doing something with friends on the weekend...we make sure it's only one day, and the next day we do things just the four of us. Sometimes it's impossible, but we try to stick to that as much as possible.
Hailey and I have a couple of things during the day but I make sure not to schedule things back to back so we have time off between each thing. It was hard at first to say no to some of those extras, but when I realized that we were running ourselves ragged, and the girls are only going to be little for such a short time, I made it a priority. Soon our days will be filled with school sports, summer camps, band practice, whatever, and they will want to do more with their friends than the family. So, for now...we're saying no a lot more, and cherishing this time when they still want to hang with mom and dad! :-)

I like what Monica mentioned about running errands all on one day. I need to get better about planning things like that out so I'm not all over the place several times a week.

[melanie]

we have one "empty" day that i try not to schedule anything on. at the moment, it's friday which works so well for us. we don't have to hurry to get dressed and eat.

in fact, the girls are in their jammies chilling watching sesame street before we get dressed to get C her flu shot. the only thing on our calendar. and something she very much looks forward to. lol

otherwise, we're like you and run, run, run.

[Krystyn]

Working OUTSIDE of the home is a lot worse...there are NO days "dedicated" to being at home and it's a constant life of "catching up". Just saying.

[Gina f.]

As mom to a teen, a tween, twins, a toddler, and a 4 month old life is nonstop-full speed ahead. I organize, prioritize, and sometimes have to say no to fun events. Ideally we have dinner all together but my 2 oldest kids play sports and practice runs into dinner time. I do my best to keep Sundays at a slow pace so we can recharge & prep for the new week. You will find balance....it just takes work and life is always shifting. Enjoy your weekend!

[Laurie LaRiviere]

I have a 3 year old son, 12 year old daughter and 14 year old son, and it gets CRAZY!!! Seems like there's no family time, on weekends we are going to dance and sport events and the little guy just tags along...I think the best you can do is just look for spots here and there throughout the day and enjoy those moments when they come up. I often wonder how you get some much wonderful scrapbooking done, after all the kids go to bed I am so tired...

[Susan Weinroth]

thank you sophie for this - i love just letting the boys play in our yard too.  and i agree - definitely do NOT like the idea of them all grown up and lots of time.  ;)

[Susan Weinroth]

thank you monica - I think well be instituting your weekly pajama day.  LOVE that.  and you sound like you totally have it together - with FOUR boys.  wow!  :) -S

[Susan Weinroth]

Hi Jessica - I didnt realize that you all were on a year round school schedule (and you are so close in proximity to us, too?).  That must be even harder to manage...  I think that I just need to get to the point that Im ok saying no.  ;)

[Susan Weinroth]

mel - thank god for sesame street right?!  ;) -S

[Susan Weinroth]

thank you gina!  you sound like you have it all under control - and i like the idea of re-grouping on sundays.  ;) -S

[suzitee]

I think it's really important to have at least one "at home" day each week, and for us that's Sunday. We rarely take the car out of the garage on Sundays, and sometimes the only time we have out of the house is a walk in the park late in the afternoon :) BTW my kids are 7,10 and 14. Balance can be such a hard thing to achieve when you have little ones...but I strongly believe that kids need unscheduled time, even times when they get a little bored. It seems to push their imagination, and the results of boredom can be pure magic :)
Good luck with it!

[Jessica]

We actually moved, Susan! :-) We have four seasons, again...lol. We're in NC now!

[Kathy Fenwick]

Your post was perfect timing Susan!!! I am really struggling with this as well!!! I have a 10 y/o and 13 y/o, for them hockey will be starting for both of them this week so that will be 4/5 times each week. In August I went from working one day a week to three days so yes I still have two days off while kids are in school but also trying to run my Scentsy business as well and keep us with house stuff. We do get a cleaning lady every two weeks but the house is always messy with laundry and dishes and clutter ugh!!! Like others, I am really trying to pck one day, of the week where we can have a home day and not go anywhere!!!!! And soon our snow will start flying and I will want to just stay home indoors, lol!!! Looking forward to seeing what ideas you come up with or more ideas from others!!!
Kathy F

[Kristin Hayne]

Honestly? We don't have enough of those fun family moments lately. Since starting back to work full time, I just try to take the time when I get home and before bedtime to really sit and enjoy the kids. I tuck them both in (which includes talking about the day.... tickling them.... rubbing their backs...and going over what time I leave in the morning.... and yes... I WILL WAKE YOU UP boys....). It is never enough. I think that is why I stopped scrapping and submitting things. You are such a super Mommy. We will wait for you here whenever you get a moment. I had to learn to say no to everything... and also had to learn to ask my hubby to take the boys for awhile so I could decompress and get some things done. I will tell you this.... enjoy them... and it will get easier as they get bigger. :) hANG IN THERE!!

[Dayna Worsham]

Hi Susan!!! :)
I think you need to give us a few tips!! Your blog is great, your photography is beautiful and everything you do is so creative and detailed...I'm lucky if I get a store bought card for most holidays! So whatever you are doing, it seems (on this side of your blog) to be working.
I know how hard it is to find that balance, though, with work, housework, school and the really important stuff (kids!!). At our house Saturdays are sacred, with it being pretty much the only day we are all around, so I try to limit it to "family-friendly" activities, or hanging out together. The rest of the week is pretty much a whirlwind. :/