Keeping the SAHM BLUES away

Yep, I have been home again, for a year, well almost on the 18th. And boy have we been busy, little Sy and I. My full time and 24/7 job is being a Stay At Home Mom, but we are far from home bound.  I avoid the term, and feeling of being stuck in the house like the plague. It is a disease that can bring you down, literally you can easily turn the awesome opportunity of caring for your family into a very depressing situation. Here is how I keep away the SAHM blues.



Free time while mommy cooks



We do tons and it does not all revolve around Sy's needs and wants. I learned the hard way the first time I was home, it is easy to lose yourself in your children's life and the needs of your home. This is actually something that working parents do also, get caught up in keeping the house running and get burned out. Not in the cards for the SAHM!

What I do have looming over me though (shoot many of us) is that we are on a single income and a serious budget. If I had unlimited funds at my disposal I doubt this would even be a topic that crossed my mind, but my family like many other SAHM's are far from the unlimited funds category.



Library craft (done wrong) Fun times



So how do I over come such insurmountable (pardon my dramatics) obstacles?  We work our network of friends (both Sy and I), we utilize our community resources, and last we stay home sometimes BY CHOICE!

I look at home making as a profession, just like those who work out of the home. As a SAHM it is easy to pull a 12/18 hour shift without realizing it. While it is commendable, it is just asking for burn out. On top of that more often than not many of my fellow professionals (I like calling us professionals) don't treat our non-traditional job as a "Profession". Just doing that will ease much of the pain. When our job is done without the same gusto you would have if you were being paid by some one else then the job it just drags on (hello 18 hour days).

Mys suggestion is to create a schedule, you can follow it loosely, make a meal plan (easier to stick to a budget), and build in rest time (breaks and lunches are a mandatory government regulation).  You will be happier, especially with the last suggestion.

Below is my schedule, which I follow very loosely. But I am a professional and I show my family this by my commitment to them and myself. I lead by example and hold my team (I am the Chief Home  Officer) accountable. Everyone plays a role in keeping this ship running and it starts with me.

6:20 am - Shower get dressed for next activity

6:40 am - Wake up all children (including those not in school)

                Monitor morning hygiene/School preparations

6:50 am - Breakfast, most morning is a fend for your self activity

7:15 am - Big kids ride with dad to school

                Make beds, gather laundry, clean kitchen (Symone indulges in a PBS)

8:00 am - Gym (Mon, Wed, Friday) Sticky Fingers Craft time (Symone Tue)

                Meal Planning, Budgeting, Grocery shopping (Thur)

10:00 am -Free time - TV, Coffee, Blog hop, blog, stalk Facebook

                 Library Story and Craft (FREE) - Meet friends and chat while kiddos play

                 (one day a week chosen by who can meet me)

11:00 am - Lunch for BOTH of us/Clean up

12:00 pm - Sy naps and for the first hour I get laundry going and any other deep cleaning items

                  done and dinner started (most days). Something different every day. 

                  The last hour is my FREE time!!!

2:30-4pm - Go get the big boys from school (school is in a different town)

4:00 pm -   Homework, everyone gets homework, even Sy, and pre K Lawson. It might be coloring

                  but it keeps them busy as I help their brothers and finish dinner.

5:00 pm -   Free time for kids (play outside, tv, friends over etc.). I get the table set

                  and the dishwasher empty.

6 - 6:30 pm - Sit down dinner

6:30 - 7 pm  -Clean up time - KITCHEN CLOSED

                   Older boys clean the kitchen then take showers/I give little ones bath (FREE TIME)

                   Catch up with hubby, call friends and family

8:30 - 9 pm - All kids in bed

9 - 11pm - Watch TV Shows I am addicted to (Recorded)

11pm -      Lights out (at least I try)

This schedule holds me accountable and makes sure that I get down time. Most importantly is this is a Monday through Friday schedule. I do complete light cleaning on the weekend, but my job description (written by me) shows that I am off on Saturday and Sunday and I treat it as such. Just like any other professional, I care for my family, feed them and I might (strong might) wash clothes. But because during my work week I work with purpose, I get to enjoy my family on the weekend.

It is important to know that any profession change, whether that is traditional job, having your first baby, or adding a new baby to an existing family, there is going to an adjustment period and at various stages you will just be plain overwhelmed. That is so normal we have all been there.
For me my friends help me keep my sanity, working out is my therapy, and getting fresh air reminds me what life is about. These things are my safety net and catch me when I am down.