5 kids ...Im a stay at home mom !??Cant relaxe

Rebecca - posted on 05/25/2011

Right now, you are in one of the most stressful and exhausting stages -- IT WILL GET BETTER!!!! My kids are now 18, 17, 15, 15, 13 and 12. NOW it's wonderful. I look back on the "early years" as some of the toughest and most tiring years of my life...and I wouldn't trade them for the world!!! When your kids are grown and look back on their childhood, do you know what they'll remember? Blanket tents in the living room. Dying easter eggs on the kitchen floor. Lying sprawled all over the living room as a family listening to Hank the Cowdog. What they won't remember: that you stayed up till midnight so you could mop the floors. It really won't matter to them. YOU are important to them and I would bet that they really don't care too much how often the floor gets mopped or the tub gets scrubbed or the sheets get changed!!! We moms worry about that stuff, but it's all just "stuff". Don't destroy your sanity worrying about things that are just not all that important. Take a deep breath...and take a day off. Rent a funny old movie and just lay around enjoying each other's company for a day. I recommend the Music Man, Singin in the Rain or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. If you don't do musicals, rent the Princess Bride. :^) Blessings!!!

Sarah - posted on 05/16/2011

I am a busy work at home Mom of four great kids aged 13,11,3 and 1...yup it's crazy!!! With school, swimming, baseball, how do I ever get to just sit(let alone pee by myself)??? I have learned that before I am ready to think about bed...I make a list for the next day. This allows me to leave some of it on paper, rather than stress about it all night...I have also learned(and this one isn't easy) that the housekeeping will always wait, the laundry isn't going anywhere...but your wee ones grow before your eyes. You are already in a great position to enjoy them rather than working outside the home...hope you get to relax some!! Cheers,
Sarah
www.momsgreensolution.com

Mel - posted on 04/19/2011

My heart goes out to you Hope.........i do feel you need some down time for your self and some help to get things back on line, to make things manageable again. Do you have a close friend of family members who could maybe help out, support you?? If not, All your children are able to help with chores, i have had 6 kids and ran myself aground, doing it all, yet losing me and any feelings of happiness, until i collapsed and realised that i had more than enough helpers at home already. I with the childrens help created a weekly jobs chart, making it fun and easy, i was so surprised at how keen all the children ranging from 2 to 12 years, were about being involved. I had to learn that the way a 5 yr old washes the dishes or attempts to dry them, may not be perfect, yet they were having a go and took pride as being a special part of our team. The twelve yr old soon became confident of safely cooking tea, i eventually worked 5 days full time as a single mum, and studied. We had amazing times, outings and general happiness in the home. The kids would love my praise at how clean the house would be some afternoons, clothes washed dried and away. They truly went above and beyond and have learnt the vital skill in life of how to look after their own home and be grateful of their parents for what they do for them. Instead of being ungrateful, lazy and having an unhappy mum. I hope i have not offended, just wish to share sometimes it helps others, i am wondering where you live, maybe i can help. Add me if you like, i have recently moved interstate and am in need of some new networks, its such a lonely world sometimes. Good luck :-)

Deanna - posted on 04/17/2011

yeah. stop. just stop. :) lol I know it is easier said than done but you need to just realize that it will all be just fine if someone helps you and does it differently. You have 5 kids and at least 4 of them can have chores. You can give them each one thing they have to do every day and that will be 5 things you don't have to do each day. Plus make sure they are responsible for themselves and their rooms on top of chores. Then you don't have to worry about 10 things. :) Sounds hard and it might be for a few days but after a bit they will get the hang of it and all you will have to do is remind every so often. You also need to get some sleep and stop stressing out. meditate, pilates, long bath, etc. Just think of it this way when you start to stress to much. Will it still be a big deal in 5 or 10 yrs? IF the answer is no then you need to just let it go. :)
good luck and I hope you sleep soon. That would be the best thing for you.

Christina - posted on 04/13/2011

Hope,
you have to learn to let go...the house doesn't need to be spotless, what matters is the time you spend with your beautiful angels! At one point I had 6 little ones under the age of 7, I hired a cousin that would come in and do dishes, laundry and light housekeeping. if thisisn't possible hire a cousins child to come over a couple of afternoons a week to just play with the kids while you get a little break and play catch up