What do we have in common? Most people do not have the same family situation as us with such a large split in ages between two kids. I think one thing many moms struggle with is balance. How do we keep up on the housework, keep the kids entertained and learning, and maintain our outside responsibilities?
When I first got laid off, I had so much extra time and only one 9 year old daughter. I signed up for online classes, became a consultant for a direct sales company, volunteered at the masjid, and started looking into homeschooling. Our first two years of homeschooling were with a virtual academy and while there was a good size adjustment to get started, it didn’t require a lot of me on a day to day basis once we got our routine down. I would get stressed sometimes on the weekends because they were so busy, but Little Miss making her appearance and moving to traditional homeschooling was a bigger change than I anticipated.
Add in buying our first house and becoming landlords in the same action – I had my fill. Now, how to scale back without letting everyone down that I had made commitments with? It’s been a slow process. One by one, I’m resigning from various volunteer work and learning to say no to new projects.
My kids are my job. I have to remind myself this very often, and remind myself that I asked for this to be my full time job. I want them to grow up with someone completely focused on them, their education, their needs, and desires. This doesn’t mean they are my “boss” but rather, I’m their constant force of influence and guidance. Since I have made this commitment, it deserves my attention and focus.
This brings back the question of balance. I often get the question of how to balance homeschool with daily chores like grocery shopping. I don’t have it all figured out, but I am committed to making it work. Sometimes something’s gotta give. We can figure this out together. How to balance multiple age groups, house chores, volunteer work, and mama time while trying to live frugal and green? If it’s important enough, we’ll make it work, and cut the fat along the way. Let’s do it!
The 52 Week Organized Home Challenge is a good start to get in the right mindset, and I’ll focus on balance along the way through this blog. Join me and provide feedback when you can!
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