I hear you loud and clear. I see my friends meeting for lunch, heading to the gym and going shopping without children. I wonder what it would be like. It might be fun for a little while, but ultimately I would miss spending that time with my kids. There would be the afterschool rush to get homework done so we could make it to our other activities. Then the rush to get ready for bed so they wouldn't be tired in the morning. The free time would be on the weekends, but then we would be rushing around trying to fit in "family" time that we didn't get during the week. Everytime I think of it from this perspective I know that I'm doing what is best for all of us. It is a season in my life that will pass much too soon.
Here are some suggestions that may help lighten your load: give your children weekly chores (empty the dishwasher, clean bathrooms, fold laundry etc), make a dinner menu on Sunday for the week (sometimes the biggest challenge is deciding what to make, take an evening or a weekend afternoon without the children to do what you enjoy (your husband can handle the children for a few hours or hire a babysitter) and/or find a park day where your children can play and you can talk with other parents.
Most of all remember the beauty of home schooling is that you can do what works for you. School four days a week or just in the mornings or a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the late afternoon. Try different things until you find what meets your needs.
Kelly
dd 11
ds 6