SAHM's - what do you do when the monotomy gets too much?

[curtains]

I adore my 2 and think being at home is really important when they are pre-schoolers.

But it's the rest of it that drives me nuts, the endless shopping, tidying up, cooking, cleaning .....

Does anyone else feel the same and what do YOU do when it gets tooooo much?

Hi Curtains,

My DD is 7 and my DS is 20 months, I totally agree with you. By the time Friday comes I almost feel completely brain dead! I love my kids very much however I do feel that being a stay at home mum is one of the most important things you can do for your kids, so when things get on top of me I try and tell myself that it's not forever they are only young once and to totally enjoy them before they get too cool to want to hang around with you!
As for the cooking, cleaning, shopping, ironing etc etc etc there is always the National Lottery....keep dreaming.

I have just signed up with my local gym and go 3 times per week and leave my 2 youngest ds's in their creche. I love it as it gives me time away from them for 2 hours and I am already reaping the benefits of getting fitter!!

Get out, go for a stomp with ds in the pram.
Routine is also important to me so that i get every thing done and know when ive got me time.
I work p/t but dont consider this to be a break as such and TBH it adds pressure on me to get every thing done before work.

yep it's the domestic drudgery that gets me down too - it just never ends.

My answer when it all gets too much (not a healthy one) is... have a drink!!!!!

btw this is at the end of the day!!! (I'm not a total lush

I don't find the looking after the kids monotonous JUST THE REST OF IT!!!!!

I was wondering when you found time to find things monotomous but I get it now!

Its the endless laundry I hate, I have a huge pile of ironing waiting but life is too short at the moment! I know ignoring it won't make it go away but perhaps the pixies that DH thinks does everything around here will pay a visit!

I put on the music so at least there is something to listen to. Also teach yourself to do everything you hate really quickly so it doesn't start getting boring.

Playing with dst comes first though and to hell with everything else, as long as the place is clean! I do notice that the house is tidier when the weather is rotten as otherwise we are out and about!

In our rented flat abroad we have a laundry room in the basement. You can book it for a 5 hour slot. This means I do all the wahing, drying and ironing for the week in one afternoon. I'm going to try to stick to this when we get back - admittedly won't have 2 industrial washers and a big ironing machine, but then am not constantly feeling guilty. My tip? Get out as much as you can - less mess and less time to look at the imperfections. Flylady.net works for me, but only because I'm so bad at housework I need someone to tell me what to do!

I go out a lot. Any excuse for a trip basically. What the eye can't see.....

Also I have very low standards for housework.

Curtains,

I applied for voluntary work with the local council when DS started school full time and really enjoy it. Apart from being able to meet a wide range of people it has the great advantage of this being able to fit in around his school hours.

Meerkats

Oh I so agree - I love being at home with dd but HATE the housework. I am the world's worst housewife. I would do anything to avoid it, but cos I'm home all day feel it is my responsibility.

The up side of this is, dd gets lots and lots of walks and attention and stimulation while I try and avoid the housework LOL.

So glad it's not just me!
Lottie

Meerkatsunite, hope you don't mind my question. What sort of voluntary work do you do for the local council? Just interested. Would like to something like that too.

Don't mind you asking!.

I do what is called "Social Car" driving for the council. Basically such a scheme enables elderly people to do social visits like going to the hairdressers, visit friends, supermarket etc. I have taken various people to Sainsburys and another lady to visit her DH in the care home during my time doing this. The scheme does not cover people visiting hospital for hospital appointments - its purely a social scheme for people (primary the elderly) to use.

It's worth calling your council to see if there are any such schemes like this, I can well recommend it because I have met some nice people through it and it gives a sense of satisfaction as well.

I don't get asked to do such work every week and you can turn down a job if it does not suit for whatever reason - there's no total obligation on your part for you to do it of you cannot for whatever reason.

HTH

Do you guys honestly find it not at all monotonous looking after the kids too? Never mind the housework, what about the nappies and the refereeing and the whingeing (from the kids) and the food battles and all that jazz. The good bits are wonderful and I too think that the kids need us at home at this age but struth it does me in. Anyone else?

Go to bed with both of them,a book,a cup of Earl Grey and a hottie.

Elf, haven't got time to post much (it's those kids again....), but I really understand where you're coming from. The drudgery is definitely dreary and, while some days are great with the kids, and all their charming funny wonderful qualities are at the fore, others are just a round of negotiating, disappointment (on both sides), whining and reconciliation.
When I was working 3 days a week (until we moved abroad when DS2 was 10 months)I used to love the fact that on Tuesday I could think "Thank goodness I don't have to finish this proposal - I'm at home tomorrow" and on Wednesday evening I could think "Thank goodness I won't have to shovel carrot puree into your thankless mouth again tomorrow - I'm at work".

I don't find it monotonous, if I did I wouldn't do it.

I get dp to help me with the housework so it isnt drudgery and I although we have a routine I make each day is different and we get out a lot.

AT the time when i was a sahm, i really tried to make myself enjoy it, because they grow up so quickly. I did find it very mundane, and hated spending so much time at home cause we didn't have lodes of money to go out all the time, still don;t.I now work part-time as they are both at school and i really enjoy it and couldn't imagine staying at home all the time.

Hermoine, just out of interest what is it you do that can be done when your kids are in school?

i work in macdonalds, they hire mums and stuff threw term time and hire students through summer tems etc. Its not everyones cup of tea and i was abit sceptical at frist because it is full of youngsters, but i really enjoy myself and they've made me feel so welcome.

Hermione1, I've read your posts before and it sounds like working there could be fun! Maybe I'll look into that when my ds2 starts school.

Out of interest which part of the country are you in? I'm in Glasgow and I'm finding it really hard to get anything term time.

Curtains!! You an me both babe! I adored being at home when I had my dd but now I have dt's and its driving me nuts. Can't get on top of all that stuff (and for one who likes clean, tidy and organised it drives me craaazy).

Loud music, stupid dancing round the kitchen with all those old enough to dance and a large gin anytime after 5pm (ok 4pm if its a dodgy day).

The other thing thats helped me accept lower standards lately is watching video of when my dd was little (she's 4 now). When its all getting on top of me and I beat myself up for still doing the routine stuff late at night I watch some and it reminds me what is important. Good luck honey.