To ask what other SAHP do to fill their time

[doyoumindmeasking]

I'm a SAHM and just wondered what other SAHP do to fill their days.

My children are at school 9-3. I do drop offs and pick ups, cooking, cleaning, shopping etc.

But in terms of other stuff not much. I'm going to try to pick up an exercise class 3 x a week.

It can get a bit dull.

I've tried a part time job but it's just not practical with my husbands work and age of our children.

@Violet80 I've got friends who've done makers academy but its reasonable commitment

What are the endless emails that people keep mentioning? What on earth do you need to manage through email endlessly if you don’t work? Genuinely puzzled.

Once my youngest was mid-Primary I became an authorised emergency foster carer and also bought a shedload of animals. . As well I am gardening like crazy. Works for me. I work once a year ( lol) for a few weeks as an election official - between our 3 layers of govt there seems to be an election every year. It's fun and I've made friends from that as well as feeling I've earnt a bit of cash. Each to their own I think.

I did. That particular poster has some specific challenges with a DC with disabilities etc, but an adult does not need an hour to shower and do their hair everyday, and if they had more to do they would undoubtedly get it done in less time. There does seem to be a gréat deal of tasks expanding to fit the time available in SAHPs of children in education. Which is fine, if you have the time you can do things in as leisurely a fashion as you like, but acting like nobody could possibly do more than cook and clean in thirty hours of free time a week is ridiculous.

What are the endless emails that people keep mentioning? What on earth do you need to manage through email endlessly if you don’t work? Genuinely puzzled.

Well I do my emails whilst doing other stuff but I've had 23 today relating to various voluntary stuff I do, 2 from my tutor, one containing the script for my dc's drama class and miscellaneous others which I've mostly filed as deal with later.

I must admit I don't understand the must do things before the kids get home though. Meal planning for us is done at the dinner table so the kids are involved and takes 10 minutes per week. Food prep I expect them to help etc. The same with laundry and so on.

Often we have a 5yo that has huge meltdowns after school - can take 45 minutes to 1hr for him to calm down. No way would I be able to cook or meal prep during this time so it gets done during school hours. As these can happen at any time, I have to think worse case scenario so I have dinner prepped as a default on a daily basis before 3pm.

Homework gets done as soon as things have calmed down.

If both you and your DP are at home, are you independently wealthy?
We're self sufficient, yes. No benefits, if that's what you mean.

Google it! You'll need a copy of the book before you can join the Facebook group. Volume 1 can be bought from the website and Volume 2 will be out at the end of the month.

I'm currently working on my reader, dancer and linguist badges, among others!

@ArchieStar I've just downloaded the rebel badge book on to my kindle - sounds interesting. I'm in a different situation to most on this thread as my DC now adult and no longer at home .

I email/phone/text about returns, getting quotes, sorting out events we host, arranging appointments, endless back and forth over PTA/fundraising stuff. We’d get fewer quotes for things and host less if I wasn’t home. And we’d probably give up on a few returns or other complaints and I’d do a lot less fundraising stuff. But most of it would just have to be done in none work time. Unless it’s about voluntary work or things that you would otherwise outsource, it isn’t stuff that people who work don’t have to do. But part of what a family gets out of having one parent at home is that they don’t have to follow up on admin after work (or squashed into lunch time and breaks) - everyone gets more free time, not just me.

I'm a SAHM but home educate my children, so my time is now taken up by that. When we just had one child I learned some skills like baking bread, knitting, sewing and gardening. I made jams and chutneys. I enjoyed learning how to use my hands in a way that added little comforts to the house.

I started a botany course recently, but discovered that I no longer have the focus to study a new thing, so my next goal is to get my brain working properly again.

And recently I've picked up a few hours of copy-editing a month for a magazine, which is fun.

Are there any courses you'd like to do? I like PPs suggesting of volunteering once a week at a toddler group or similar.

@GrouchyKiwi is copy editing like proof reading ?

Pretty much, though with more scope for changing wording rather than just correcting grammar/spelling/punctuation.