This feels like such a silly problem to have but here’s where I’m at: going out on weekdays feels overly complicated.
My little ones are bored if we stay home all day every day. So am I. That’s partly mitigated by Margot’s preschool schedule; she has afternoon class three days a week and morning class the other days. If nothing else, that gets Ryan and me out for drop-off and pick-up. Often we’ll run errands after we drop her off, since we’re already in the car and it’s always easier when it’s just the two of us.
However, when I factor in Mila’s school schedule, it feels more challenging. Not that it’s weird—she’s gone from about 8 to almost 3—but it does limit us. If I want to take the little kids somewhere after preschool, we have to be back before Mila gets home. That gives us 3 hours to work with, either in the morning or the afternoon depending on the day. It’s plenty of time to go to the park, but kinda pushing it if we want to, say, go to the zoo.
And then there’s the fact that Mila gets jealous when we go on adventures without her. I could do smaller things with Margot and Ryan while she’s at school, and save bigger outings for after school. But then, again, it feels like we’re in a time crunch because we have to be home to make dinner, do homework, get chores done, and do the bedtime routine.
After so many years of fairly unrestricted time to do whatever we want all day, I’m still struggling to adapt.
What the heck am I going to do when I’ve got one child each in high school, middle school, and elementary school, PLUS all the extracurricular activities that come with that? How do people balance the responsibilities of an older child while still making time for going out to explore and have fun, without resorting to homeschooling? I mean, props to the homeschooling families, but I know it’s not for us.
Why is this so hard for me??? Aside from the fact that I’m a natural homebody and not at all Type A, of course. I’m sure neither of those have anything to do with it. *eye roll here*
Reading what I’ve written, I feel beyond foolish. I guess I just need some validation.
Has anyone else struggled to find a good balance of going out enough without neglecting obligations? What are your best tips for making it work? How do you give your children enough unstructured play time, take care of household responsibilities, stick to a schedule, and still make room for adventures?
Is it even possible? Or is this going to be my ongoing struggle in motherhood?
Help a sister out!
(347 + 249 + 116 weeks)
I wish I had the answers. I’m a total homebody, but my husband is an extrovert who wants to always go out on adventures. I’m up for an adventure if it’s planned in advanced and fits into our normal schedule of naps and dinner and house projects, but when it’s sprung on me I can’t handle it. It’s a hard balance to strike with being a fun mom and being a sane mom. Haha.
Fun Mom vs. Sane Mom is the ongoing battle at our house. Sometimes they’re the same person. Sometimes. I’m glad I’m not alone.
For what it’s worth, one of the biggest complaints I hear from mothers of a handful of kids is juggling schedules and chauffeuring. It’s not just you.
xox