Not really education but, calling all those who now have 'child free' time as all are at nursery/school

[Gobbledigook]

So what have you been doing with your new found freedom?

Monday was my first morning ever without kids (ds3 has just started morning nursery) and I spent it having a breakfast in Ikea and then shopping.

Today I tidied the rooms that were having the carpets cleaned later on, went to school to read with the Yr1's for an hour, came back and had something to eat and a quick go on MN.

Hmmmm, what shall I do tomorrow? My options are:

1. Go for a swim and start my 'get into shape' regime
2. Go shopping for bits and pieces that I need - kids b'day presents etc
3. Slob out and watch a film with my box of Green and Blacks praline chocs (bought for my wedding anniversary yesterday)

I'm all for no. 3. I spent the day having a massage and slobbing on the sofa then rushing around doing the chores before pick-up time.

today I spent most of the day in town, shopping and having lunch with a friend - bliss.
Spent £120

I only have 2.5 hours and (hopefully) only for a few more days as no 2 is due any min...

Today I spent about 90 mins on the phone to friends, tidied kitchen and sorted some washing in about 15 mins and lay on bed reading my book for the rest of the time. Lovely!

I run round like a mad woman cleaning and sorting.
First day of play school my oven was scrubbed to within an inch of its life.
Second day my curtains and windows got it. Toy boxes are sorted beds are changed, 4 loads of washing done, whole house hoovered, bathroom scrubbed kitchen cupbourds cleaned but best of all........i went shopping to Asda...alone and OMG what bliss.
This week i shall start as soon as drop off has taken place with a coffee, two slices of toast and matthew Wright on the Wright stuff....then will do some gardening i think.
Told you...mad woman!

Get out of the house if at all possible! I highly recommend the swimming option (I do that whenever I can while DS is at nursery, although it has had no appreciable impact on my girth). If I stay at home I'm always looking around or feeling guilty about stuff that I really ought to be getting on with... But the difference to your sanity is too important to pass up the chance for some freedom.

Isn't it great! When I got back from reading at school it felt really odd to have nothing to do!

Got another job starting next week though so will be spending the mornings working. At least then I won't have to work at night though so then it will be odd not to have work to do at night!

Hmmm - nursery is a 30 minute drive away for a 2.5 hour session so I leave at 8:30 drop ds off at 9am, get home again 9:40am then need to leave the house at 11am.

So 80 minutes at home with dd - not quite the exclusive mummy/daughter bonding time she was expecting. Plus she's in the car for 2 hours a day just so ds can go to preschool - it's not really fair on her.

No solution to this, just wanted to grrrrrrrr

Gosh bobsmum why bother?

Because he's just turned 4 and I've spent the last 4 years justifying to the world and his wife why he's not gone to nursery until his preschool year. Now he's 4 and gets his 12.5 hours (although he's been entitled for a year now) I just felt I ought to be sending him for his pre school year.

And unfortunately he absolutely loves it and gets quite teary when he realises that loads of the children are staying for the whole day and he has to come home at lunchtime.

I'm not entitled to a full day for him because priority must be given to working mums and I'm a SAHM.

Isn't it weird finally having some time to yourself! There is always going to be housework/chores to do so I think you should treat yourself / do something you have always promised yourself you would do. I plan on swimming, more art, cooking, volunteering, setting up a business ... the list goes on!

My ds3 has started morning nursery too (see thread on "How do you get ready for 8 in the morning" to see how mine go...).

Today I went for a swim, mooched about a book shop for 20mins ALONE rather than reading aloud all the picture books to ds3...

Loving it !

Ride horsey, do some work on my own business.
currently rather stressed out though by my PIL and SIl who are staying for 10 days and require more time and attention than a newborn

Oh it's wonderful isn't it?
My ds now in f/t nursery and dd has post school child minder who has known her since she was tiny.She gets pissed off when I call to pick her up!

I don't start my MSc for another two weeks so have been gymning,shopping,calling on friends,reading magazines and err....going back to bed in the day.

Today I went for my first "grown up" swim for 4 and a half years!

My other plans are:
practising the piano
doing more of my governor stuff at DS1's school
catching up on lots of jobs at home - sorting out clothes and cupboards etc
planning meals a bit better
doing the weekly shop
maybe a bit of housework (also not really done for last 4 and a half years!)

Best feeling of all is jumping out of a car without herding everyone out/snapping open pushchair/corraling them for fear of lunatic driver.

Just me and a set of keys,sauntering off,gloriously unfettered by stuff.

Deffo!

Today I made 2 collages - one of ds1's pictures adn one of ds2's pictures (i.e. their 'art work') and hung them in the playroom. Also framed ds3's first ever piece of art work from nursery (Monday!) and hung that too. It's just a piece of paper with some coloured circles of paper stuck on it but it's his first bit of 'art' saved for posterity.

I had my music on full blast while i did it and it was great!