Sahm's What Do You Do with Your Day?

You already have a job. I joined the Lion's Club-it makes me feel wonderful-perhaps there is a chapter near you?

You should DEFINITELY get a job if you have time to volunteer... because we ALL know that jobs allow you to set your own hours, only work a few hours a week, and take 3 months off whenever you feel like it and come right back to people thrilled to see you.

Wait a minute... That's not right...

Personally, I'm far too busy to do all that I wish to. But I also homeschool and am (usually) in school myself (I'm on hiatus) and am gimpingly pursuing a couple of passions that I don't really have the time to devote to, but would go starkers without.

I volunteer a lot at my daughter's school and at church. I can turn down something if does not fit in my "schedule" (many full time, even part time jobs are little more strict in when you work and if you do not work... fired).

I do work VERY part time but it is a job that I only work once or twice a week for aout 5 hours each time, the event is at night when my hubby can stay home with our daughter (so no money goes toward child care). It is at a college so during the summer less events, but on the rare day events my lovely daughter spends time with grandma which they both love. This is a rare case where my job is so little hours, and I do get first pick at hours so I never miss my daughter's school events, family events or other important things to me in life.

If I am bored and no one is home (or everyone is napping) I fill my time with mamapedia, facebook, bath, reading a book, taking a nap myself, working out, yoga, gardening or painting. Me time is important, I have spent a lot of time not giving myself me time which for me makes me feel losted. I make it a point to not being going all day, it is not healthy, so find a balance that works well for you and your family.

You know that old saying "I can rest when I am dead" true BUT you might have a longer life enjoying everything if you rest now and again with some down time :)

I wish I had more time!
My kids are in high school.
I spend my time volunteering at church and school - if my children are in an activity, I'm involved (theatre, band, swimming, etc.); working with a group of like-minded parents to ensure that the renovation to our high school is giving the students, faculty and staff what they need - this involves attending a series of meetings, writing letters, and talking to people; directing a handbell choir - this is far more than just standing up there and flapping my arms -- I've got to choose music, distribute the music, file the music, choose the dates we will play, deal with the multiple personalities and the emails that go with that and more; doing laundry; getting ready for the upcoming week's worth of goodies that are needed for the various groups my children are involved with; attending school concerts or events; substitute teaching; cleaning; paying bills; weeding the garden; picking up the yard; and more. Add to that the incidental events as well as the regularly scheduled events that happen annually and quarterly... and I'm busy!! Once our pool is done, I've got a fire pit to install. The list is endless. I've got closets to clean, meals to prep, and more that often just doesn't get done...
Sometimes I just decide that I'm not going to do anything and I take a day for myself. I scrapbook, watch TV, have lunch with a friend, go shopping, or simply enjoy the day. Usually something comes up and I end up doing something else, but it's the thought that counts.
The kids are home for such a short time. I figure I can catch up on my sleep when they go to college. Until then - I'm busy and I wouldn't change a minute of it.
LBC

I have three sons, 2 in Middle school and 1 in HIgh school. I spend every Monday volunteering at the middle school library. Every THursday I'm busy with a book club with other SAHM's and we get together to hang out, and discuss the books we are reading and enjoy each other's company. That leaves me three days of other stuff. I get together with various friends at least one other day a week just to have a breakfast. I go to the gym three days a week for a water aerobics class. Every week I go meet my best friend, who now has a job :(, at her office to have lunch. My dog is a therapy dog and on different occasions I go to volunteer events with her. Other than that, the days are filled with doing laundry and shopping, and cleaning. And with all that... sometimes I"m really bored... so I understand what you mean. But I have no problem and never feel guilty about relaxing and watching a show or reading a book. I really LOVE my down time. When I'm too busy I get stressed out. I actually enjoy doing nothing! LOL But You really should volunteer if you want to. Volunteering once a week is very different from having a job!

You're welcome to come to my house! I have my 2 kids, my dog, husband is deployed and about a hundred projects to do on the house...right now, during naptimes and after bedtime, I'm skim coating the walls after the wallpaper removal left a big area of major drywall damage, spackling other areas and planning to prime and paint. Already repainted my fireplace mantle and put up different curtains. Still have a bathroom FULL of wallpaper to get down, a few more rooms to paint, plus the usual laundry, dishes, walks, playing with the kids, playdates, activities, grocery shopping (our store is about 30 min away). We try to get out of the house at least once each day plus walks and outside playtime.
I think a lot of it depends on the ages of the kids. Mine are both under 4 and right now I have to be on them 24/7 so there is not really downtime.

I am a SAHM but much much more than "just" a SAHM. We have a farm with 3 horses, 2 that I am responsible for exercising and training daily, 7 chickens, 2 dogs (one about to drop a litter of puppies), and a veggie garden. My children are 7, 5, and 2.5...and I am a homeschool mom. On top of that, I am a full time college student.

Could I do more? Absolutely not. I do not have time for ANYTHING else in my day. I cook all of our meals from scratch, most of our food is hormone free all natural food, in addition to what we produce ourselves. I teach my oldest piano in addition to several riding lessons a week. She's going into 2nd grade and my son into Kindergarten with my 2.5 year old sitting in for most lessons as well (and she already knows half the alphabet by sight because she loves sitting there with us for her brother's reading lessons).

I don't get a minute to myself until they're in bed at night, and then I have to clean the kitchen, pick up the house, vacuum, and the sit down to homework.

Do I do enough? I certainly think so. Could I do more? Sure...if I were to have a mental break down. My husband sees and respects how much I do, and is quick to give me time to myself when I need it. I usually go out on a trail ride when I need the time alone. I come back refreshed and ready to tackle my duties. It is important for ALL SAHParents to have this time to themselves. My husband recognizes all that I do, and freely admits that he wouldn't want my job. :o) I love my job, I love teaching my children, I love being with my children. I wouldn't want it any other way!!

Well, I get up at 5:45 and grab my shower. Then I either start the laundry or get some housework started, work at that an hr before I have to get the kids up and off for school, I get a 15-20 min window before I have the kids I babysit show up. I entertain them until noon, then they get lunch. At 1, they go down for a nap so I have 2 hrs free to either work at my house some more or make some phone calls for my home business. By then, it's time to go get my own kids from school, help them with homework, get supper started, and then go out and work in the yard. I get about 2 hrs to do that before it's time to come in for baths and bed. At 9 p.m., I get to sit and plan out my next day. By 9:30, I'm able to pick up my crafts to enjoy a bit.

I'm a SAHM with 4 kids and a husband on deployment so I'm in charge of EVERYTHING around the house! I usually don't have any down time, but I like to catch up on my DVR'd shows at night!
Since my hsuband's been gone we have a pretty structured schedule that we don't stray from that, besides housework, includes church, gym afterschool activities at least one day a week and I usully get together with my friends aabout once a week. Have you thought of joining a gym if you aren't already a meember?

I get up at 5:30, work out for an hour, shower, take care of email.
7:30 son (21mo) gets up, he gets a bath every other day and I do dishes and straighten up the house before breakfast and get ready to go to our daily (M-F) playgroup and cook breakfast while he's playing with toys. I might start some laundry or vacuum
9:00am breakfast, brush teeth, get ready to go
9:30 leave
10-11 playgroup
noon lunch, then more dishes and clean up from lunch
1-3 my sons nap, and then I work on my business. (emails, paperwork, filing, return phone calls, etc), I'll also finish any cleaning/laundry/housework during this time.
3pm son wakes up, we cuddle for a half hour
3:30 snack time more clean up after snack and any more straightening of the house
4-5 or 6 play time with each other outside if possible and make dinner, while my son is playing outside for brief periods I let him play by himself and I work on yard work or flower gardens.
6pm eat dinner, more dishes after dinner and straighten up from playtime
7-8pm family time
8pm-9 start bedtime routine, snack, pajamas, cup of milk
9pm son goes to bed and I watch tv until about 10 or 11 then I go to bed.

My day always feel jam packed full of stuff to do and I hardly ever feel like I have time for more without sacrificing time with my son. I do run a dog training and behavior modification business and work at most 3 nights a week and sats but most of the time its no more than 3 days/nights a week. Every wednesday we go to my moms house after playgroup and spend the day there...but the routine is similar. Technically I'm not a SAHM, but since I don't work traditional hours (after 6pm) it feels like I am.

I think hubs is right...Are you bored when you have free time? If not, don't sweat it...This time is short, you will be back to busy before you know it if you plan on going back to work..Enjoy!!

Honestly, I don't care about staying busy all the time. I have a lot to do, but I also have a lot of free time. And I relish it. About 4 hours each day is devoted to homeschooling, the rest of the day it's just whatever needs done or going anywhere we need to go. Everyone has chores, and I spend a little time couponing each day. But if there isn't much to do on a particular day, then I just enjoy that. We swim longer, or I sit and read. The kids play outside or color. For me, I'm just happy that we are all happy. I do plan on going back to college to study topics I find fun, or doing volunteer work when they are all out of the house. My husband thinks it's all great. I'm not sure why yours would say that if you are going to volunteer you should get a job, it's not the same thing. If you feel like volunteering, to lend a hand somewhere where people need it, then do it! But don't do it because you feel you need to stay busy, do it because you really want to.