Recommendations for *gasp* free time?

[philbee]

I can't figure out where to put this, but I thought maybe here as if I had another child I'd not have the free time! DD goes to preschool now, 3 hours a day. I was pg when we chose the school, but miscarried, so this was going to be my time to do pg stuff, swim etc.

I can't really look for work to do in these few hours as I'd have to stop during holidays. I have DIY to do, go for the odd run, and am trying to find volunteering work, which is proving quite difficult. But I do feel a bit lonely during the time she's at school, and also like I'd like to do something to work my brain more. I've joined Amnesty again and plan to write some of the letters as I felt more aware of the world when I used to do that. Just wondering if anyone has suggestions for things to do to make this time more productive really. Thanks. And I'm definitely NOT moaning, just wanting to make the most of it!

Ooh! free time! I run an online business so 'work' (mostly, ahem) during the 15 hours of preschool but I did think the other day that I might be a bit bored if I didn't have that focus. Mind you, I think I would probably go back to bed, as i'm constantly tired and crave sleep!

Amnesty is a great idea, really important work. Some things I thought of:

reading volunteer at a school

dog walker for cinnamon trust (you could still do it in the hols with DD)

a qualification so you can make a career change in the future

if you do want to earn, there are term-time only jobs, e.g. Poppys books recruits agents to sell diversity, social and disability issues books to preschool settings

a class relating to a hobby you have/you would like to have

start a blog and get emeshed in the whole social networking world (twitter etc)

are you creative? making things to sell on etsy/folksy

Can't think of anything else for now, I'm sure someone with better ideas will come along...!

Great ideas, thank you! I'd thought of reading volunteer, but the school DD will hopefully go to is in temporary accomodation while it's rebuilt, and the next closest already has enough volunteers. But the others are all new ones to me. I do want to retrain, but it's a two year full time course, but maybe I should look more into short courses that would be relevant. Thanks!

I have free time from 9am to 1pm, as ds is now 5 and so in school. I go to exercise classes at the gym twice a week, go to a craft group once a week. I'm not sure what I do the other two days!! It is lovely having free time but you definately need to schedule your time, I do anyway, even if it's just things like go out for a coffee with a book for an hour then go for a swim as a morning plan. I have started reading alot more.

Volunteer in local hospital to help older people with meals/wash/drinking? Wards are so understaffed these days and basic care gets missed. Not a dig at nurses...just sad reflection that more people needed. Demented grandfather in at moment...not going well!

I am trying to find volunteering and think I've got a few leads! Local hospital wasn't very interested and said I should call back at the end of January, but I'd like to get on with something. I think it's just hard to think of it as my time. Having spent three years with very little time to myself I can't adapt back - I feel guilty if I'm not cleaning or working in some way. But I have been doing some more reading too, which is really nice. Thanks for all the suggestions!