How Do You Get 'Me' Time??

[Brooksie]

I'm a single mom of a 2.5 year old. I know how you feel. My jobs are never ever ever ever done. Her father does take her Monday nights and tuesday nights but I clean houses on those nights after the dcks get picked up. Right now my dcks are 14 mo, 15 mo, 2.5 and a 13yo special needs. I'm always so tired. My only trick is to enjoy that extra hour of sleep to the FULLEST on tuesdays (dd gets up at 6 but when she inst here I can sleep til 7-715 since I dont open til 730). And sometimes I'll drink a glass of wine and surf pinterest while she eats dinner. She generally gets to watch her "shows" during this time so its almost quiet. After bed I finish tidying up and then try to at least lay on the couch and watch one thing I want before going to bed. This job is draining. I'm getting ready to go back to school on top of everything so I can get out of this.

[countrymom]

:: I enrolled my kids in a church group one night each week.(Wednesday)

It was 6:30 until 8:00. They already attended Sunday school and regular church services but I figured the Wednesday night would be good for me.

It was.

I spent time wandering around stores WITH NO KIDS just browsing happily, sometimes I met up with a friend for coffee and other times, I simply sat in the car in the church parking lot and read UNINTERUPTED.

It was heavenly.


Another option is to network with other moms and try and do a swap for sitting services. Works great!

Everyone gets "me" time and no one has to pay.

ok, and here I thought I was the only one. I love going to the stores by myself its so nice. sometimes I would sit and crochet in peace too.::

[countrymom]

so since we never have me time because we are so busy, why is it that parents of our daycare children need so much me time.

[Crazy8]

I don't think I got any me time the first 5+ years of my kids lives. Actually, maybe my p/t job at night could have been considered my me time?? LOL!

Now they are a little older (7, 10, 13) and all involved in sports so I get some quiet time while they are at practices, etc. but I'm still shuffling them all over the place. My DH is also really good about letting me get out of the house - I will mindlessly walk around Target for an hour after a crazy day and he NEVER makes a peep about messes or anything like that.

The truth is there can be a few hard years in there but there is a light at the end of the tunnel eventually!

[Play Care]

so since we never have me time because we are so busy, why is it that parents of our daycare children need so much me time.

And this is why I have no issues taking a paid personal day here and there during the school year so *I* can "get things done" without kids underfoot

[Tdhmom]

hugs to you........I know this sounds mean, but the only kids I have ever really wanted to kick out of my daycare was my own.....kids always behave better for others....usually

I will say that having a consistent schedule and routine really does help cut out a lot of issues right away, so if you don't have that I would start there. Same goes with discipline, be consistent about the consequences and the rules..... that also really helps.

perhaps you can join a mom group that does kid swap.....this way you can get a day to yourself at least once a month. I really don't think that is asking too much. I get that at least once a month. My husband is very understanding so he makes sure that I get that mental and physical break from my job......

this form offers lots of great advice.....I would keep coming back to see what others might suggest as well....

welcome to the board

Omg I've told that to myself every other day!!! My daughter can be the worse sometimes hahahaha I think she just gets sick of sharing everything she owns! She doesn't have a lot that she calls her 'own' she has 2 older brothers so we are overran with boy toys. That's why I'm assuming she can be so mean and my oldest is 7 and completely bored out of his mind (so ready for school!) all of our activities are "too little" for him. I wish my friend would let him come over and play like I let her son...that doesn't happen. So I quit inviting him over. I'm not torturing myself if she isn't going to reciprocate!

[Tdhmom]

Thank you all so much for replying!!! And all the helpful advice!! I do get ****ed into books. I call it my escape from reality! Granted the only time I can read is bedtime and I stay up until midnight doing it :-/ just finished beautiful disaster...loved it!
All of you that don't have family to help...I am so sorry! I know how hard it is. We live 2 blocks from my husbands mom and she has seriously said we only talk to her when we want a sitter...haven't ASKED her to babysit for 3 years! She volunteers maybe twice a year and it comes with stipulations. The last time she watched them for a NIGHT I got stuck taking care of her dogs for almost a week! The time before that, I got stuck watching her 17 year old son (I stayed home by myself at 17...just sayin) for an entire week while they took a cruise. So it's not even worth it for her to watch her own grand kids.
My step mom will randomly come and pick up my kids. Which is great! But I don't get notice so I'm stuck babysitting still haha

[hoopinglady]

Childcare for my own kids is sporadic at best but sometimes I get a night or two free. (where I aim to clean the house but usually end up laying around like a bachelor all weekend recharging with junk food and movies, !)

Barring that I stay up stupidly late, which of course, I would not recommend.

My kids are fairly self sufficient too so sometimes, if needed, I can just say, go play. I sometimes tell them straight up, I need to be left alone right now. Sometimes it works, other times, not so much.

[boysx5]

It gets better as your children get older. I have five sons 18,17,14,11,9 and I do get my breaks now that they are older. I go out once a month with friends once a month with dh and get a manicure and pedicure. You have to take for yourself in this job otherwise you will burn out