If you craft/redecorate/have a hobby etc, WHEN do you find time?

[Shellydon]

I have 4 kids, the oldest is 10, the youngest is 3. I see/hear of all these SAHM and homeschooling moms that are sewing, repainting furniture, painting rooms etc. I have a list a mile long of projects like that, but I can't figure out exactly when people do this stuff.

 

Daily schedule is something like this:

 

9-2 school for 3 olders, wrangle the 3 year old

2-4 kids play, mom cleans (laundry, kitchen, bathrooms, floors, dinner prep)

4-6 lessons and other activities 3 days a week

6:00 - kids clean up living areas, set table

6:30 dinner

7:15-8 play with dad,

8:30-9:00 all kids in bed

9:00 unload and reload dishwasher, final kitchen clean

9:45-11:00, fold the days laundry in front of TV, mop kitchen if needed

11:00 bed

 

Saturdays are for deep cleaning, getting ready for the co-op classes I teach, catching up on any missed school work and grocery shopping.

 

Sundays are church. Occasional afternoon activity.

 

 

 

So, if one was going to sew, paint a room etc., when would you do it?

[Alte Veste Academy]

For starters, the three year old is a challenge to projects. We've grown out of those ages here and it does get so much easier. Even when I had younger kids though, I made time for me stuff.

 

First of all, I would never have dreamed of cleaning for two hours from 2-4. The kids do morning chores and afternoon chores, so unless I'm cleaning up from making a meal (which takes about 15 minutes, max), I'm not cleaning except for those dedicated 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. So, that time you have from 2-4 while your kids are playing and you are cleaning is not happening here. And that is a lot of time! For laundry, I go one of two ways, depending on the mood and season for me. Either I do one load a day (put load in washer in the morning, switch before breakfast, fold after breakfast) or have a dedicated laundry day. And how much laundry are you producing that you have to fold it every night for an hour? :w00t: :lol:

 

You only have lessons/activities 3 days a week? That leaves two weekdays with 2 hour slots. That's 4 hours a week for your personal activities and hobbies.

 

I believe in family time with dad so I wouldn't mess with the dinner/play routine at all. EXCEPT... No way am I doing dishes after the kids in bed. I do nothing after the kids are in bed except what I want to do. I clean the kitchen immediately after dinner, loading the dishwasher at that time to unload as part of my morning chores. How much cleaning could possibly be left for Saturday if you are cleaning for 2 hours (at least) per day?

 

My solution for you? You have older, capable children. Hand off some chores. DS9 cleans the kids' bathroom (wipe daily, clean weekly, checked by DH). For extra pay, he'll offer to do the master bathroom as well and DS6 is in training. He came into my room the other day begging to clean my toilet. Seriously. LOL "Mom, can I PLEEEAAAASE clean your toilet? I know how. Dad let me do it before!" :lol: DS6 sweeps/vacuums. DD mops and loves it! (It was my personal kryptonite.) DD and DS6 dust. I do everything in the kitchen because I don't trust these people to handle dishes yet. They do help cook certain things and set/clear the table. DD wipes the table. They can clean windows. Let your kids do more. Training them will take some time but when they're up and running, it will make your life easier. They scoop-up after the dog, scoop the kitty litter, pick up the back yard, clean out the van, help wash the car... These kids are in training for real life, after all.

 

Weekends are mine. If I want to do a project, I do a project. If you're going to deep clean, let the whole family get in on that together from 10 to noon on Saturday and then relax. When do I craft, read, play? Every day. My house might not pass a white glove test every single day, but it is straight and clean most of the time.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Alte Veste Academy

[GSOchristie]

We start our day early (6 am), so by the time I start school at 8:00, I have done most of my cleaning for the day. I finish up at their rest time (12-1), so when they go to bed at 7:30, I have three hours to do whatever at night. Mine, are little, though, and require more sleep :).

[Shellydon]

For starters, the three year old is a challenge to projects. We've grown out of those ages here and it does get so much easier. Even when I had younger kids though, I made time for me stuff.

 

First of all, I would never have dreamed of cleaning for two hours from 2-4. The kids do morning chores and afternoon chores, so unless I'm cleaning up from making a meal (which takes about 15 minutes, max), I'm not cleaning except for those dedicated 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. So, that time you have from 2-4 while your kids are playing and you are cleaning is not happening here. And that is a lot of time! For laundry, I go one of two ways, depending on the mood and season for me. Either I do one load a day (put load in washer in the morning, switch before breakfast, fold after breakfast) or have a dedicated laundry day. And how much laundry are you producing that you have to fold it every night for an hour? :w00t: :lol:

 

You only have lessons/activities 3 days a week? That leaves two weekdays with 2 hour slots. That's 4 hours a week for your personal activities and hobbies.

 

I believe in family time with dad so I wouldn't mess with the dinner/play routine at all. EXCEPT... No way am I doing dishes after the kids in bed. I do nothing after the kids are in bed except what I want to do. I clean the kitchen immediately after dinner, loading the dishwasher at that time to unload as part of my morning chores. How much cleaning could possibly be left for Saturday if you are cleaning for 2 hours (at least) per day?

 

My solution for you? You have older, capable children. Hand off some chores. DS9 cleans the kids' bathroom (wipe daily, clean weekly, checked by DH). For extra pay, he'll offer to do the master bathroom as well and DS6 is in training. He came into my room the other day begging to clean my toilet. Seriously. LOL "Mom, can I PLEEEAAAASE clean your toilet? I know how. Dad let me do it before!" :lol: DS6 sweeps/vacuums. DD mops and loves it! (It was my personal kryptonite.) DD and DS6 dust. I do everything in the kitchen because I don't trust these people to handle dishes yet. They do help cook certain things and set/clear the table. DD wipes the table. They can clean windows. Let your kids do more. Training them will take some time but when they're up and running, it will make your life easier. They scoop-up after the dog, scoop the kitty litter, pick up the back yard, clean out the van, help wash the car... These kids are in training for real life, after all.

 

Weekends are mine. If I want to do a project, I do a project. If you're going to deep clean, let the whole family get in on that together from 10 to noon on Saturday and then relax. When do I craft, read, play? Every day. My house might not pass a white glove test every single day, but it is straight and clean most of the time.

 

 

When you say weekends are yours, what do your kids do all day?

[BibleBeltCatholicMom]

Get off the computer.

 

really.

 

that works for me.

 

I spend too much time on the computer. When I fast from the computer or cut it waaaay down, I have all kinds of time. Honestly, when I am on the computer, I really, really, don't think I'm spending too much time on but when I'm off, it all opens up.

 

I take sewing lessons, fiddle lessons, and I do needle work. I practice fiddle during the day as you would expect (30 min per day) and I spend an hour at sewing lessons and several hours per week sewing usually on weekends or some evenings -- we don't watch tv. I also take Latin, German, and GK with my daughter as a student and teach writing to my daughter and others.

 

For embroidery, I take it everywhere. Sitting at the dentist, waiting for swim practice, during movie night, whatever, I have my embroidery with me and can do that and whatever else.

 

Numero Uno: turn off the computer.

 

off to take my own advice.

 

------ eta -----

I was in a huge hurry earlier and couldn't finish.

 

I wanted to say this: I'm not really sure how to get this across but I go through periods when I get on the computer waaaaayyy too much. I'm going through one of those now. I know I'm getting online but I really do not feel that I'm on A LOT. and yet . . . I really can't get much done.

 

Compounding that is having a singleton, one child. People who have multiple children tend not to know that one is so much more time comsuming that any other number (in the opinion of a mother with one). We never have the option of "please go play with your brother while I fix supper." or "Time to read to your brothers and sisters!"

 

So, I guess looking for a little break or something I hop on the computer. I just spend a minute that one time but it never stays that way. It's like the rice and the chess board; it starts with one but on the third square/time I open the computer . . . and I don't even notice how it grows. Just one day, wham, for whatever reason I realize how much time i'm spending online.

 

Then I do much better by cutting way down or fasting altogether.

 

Its like yo-yo dieting.

 

But when I'm off line, I have time for everything. When I"m online I have time for nothing eventhough I honestly, while I'm doing it, can't get much done at all.

Edited September 23, 2012 by BibleBeltCatholicMom

[Alte Veste Academy]

When you say weekends are yours, what do your kids do all day?

 

Last Saturday, DS9 had a swim meet so we all got up at the crack of nothing, went to watch him, came home for lunch, and then they all goofed off (read, played games, listened to audio books while playing Zometool, etc.) while I took a nap and read. On Sunday, we all went out clothes shopping as a family. After that, they swam in the pool while I sat poolside and read.

 

Some weekends, I do projects with DD while the boys do stuff with DH. Or I'll take DS6 shopping with me while DS9 and DD stay home and play. Sometimes DH takes one or all of the kids out for the day and I immerse myself in something (projects, planning, etc.). Sometimes DH does projects with them. All weekends are different here.

 

When I said weekends are mine, I didn't mean to imply that I ignore my kids and DH all weekend while I think about only me, me, me. :tongue_smilie: I don't do projects from sun-up to sun-down all weekend long while my kids play video games and graze in the pantry and fridge for their own needs. :lol: I meant that if there is something that I want to do, I simply make time for it. I don't let the weekends become a catch-up time when I martyr myself to my home, family, and chores. I am a human. I have needs too. I don't think that I provide a good example to my kids when they see me give, give, give every second of every day without caring for myself or my needs...physical, emotional, creative... Just as I do not ignore the real needs of my own kids and DH, I do not ignore my own needs.