I Feel Like I Never Leave!

[Boymom]

As much as I love having my daycare and being home with my boys, I feel like I never leave my house! Does anyone else only go places on the weekends? Also, it really doesn't help that I'm an introvert ! By the time my daycare kids leave, I immediately start cooking dinner, give my kids a bath, then it's bedtime for them (and sometimes me depending on how the day went haha!) I need a life and I need to get out so much more before I get burned out. Please tell me I'm not alone in this ha!

[Thriftylady]

It was like that for me when I did daycare in Kansas. It isn't so bad on me now. Maybe because I am older or maybe because DH is driving semi and never home. I do get out in the evenings or whatever if I want/need to. When DH is home, he wants to stay home since he is always gone. It is also easier on me I think since my youngest is now 17.

Sorry guess all that doesn't help you much right now does it?

[Miss A]

I definitely feel this way! I work about 20 hours a month at a local bar and restaurant, and that has helped me feel more "involved" in the community. I also get out on the weekends, and chat with friends throughout the day many days. I do look forward to when my SO comes home at the end of the day, just to have another adult to converse with. We live in the country try, and some times I wish I lived in town so that I could take walks with the dog at night, but even just getting outside and throwing the ball for her helps.

[e.j.]

You're not alone. I feel the same way lately. The only difference is, I don't have young kids of my own anymore. I'm just too exhausted after a full day of doing day care, to want to go out anywhere after work. Off hours and weekends are taken up by grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, curriculum planning, getting in training hours, etc. I need to get a life but don't have the time or energy to do it! ;-)

[MsLisa]

I've always been that way, a "homebody" I think they call it. I don't work currently (although I’m advertising like all heck as a Nanny) so I’m home all the time now. Only leave to drop off and pick up my daughter from school. On the weekends we might go up my husband's parent's house for a visit, go roller skating on occasion or have a mutual friend over. That's it. I never leave otherwise.

When I did work at the Y, I would go to work, come home, get stuff done around the house (or nap), go back to work and then come home again. By then I was too tired to do anything but the evening stuff of dinner, baths and beds. Prior to that, as a Nanny, I would go to the park and all kinds of kid-places with the kids no problem. I am actually looking forward to doing that all again.

Like you, I’m an introvert and suffer from social anxiety, so I don't mind being home most of the time. I AM lonely though. But at the same time my general dislike/distrust in people makes me not bother. If that makes sense. . I'm the type that panics at the thought of going to a store alone. I try to drag my daughter along if I do need to, as it eases my anxiety. Heck, I’m currently reading books on how to be less socially inept. So I’m there with you if that helps. lovethis

[Josiegirl]

I feel the same way. Then the weekend comes and instead of making time for fun stuff I have to play catch up and prep for daycare, shop for daycare, clean for daycare, find activity ideas for....yep daycare. Whoever thinks daycare is an easy cheesy job should try it for a month.

MsLisa, you described me to a T. I prefer to be home or at least don't mind it but do get lonely. I have 2 dogs and that helps so much. I have always had social anxiety, even as a kid, though I really didn't understand it at the time. Even eating in a restaurant bothers me significantly. Now taking a walk in the woods without another soul around, I'm good.

Boymom, I remember how tiring it was being a mom of young children and running a dc too. Doing exactly as you do every single night, while my dh would watch tv from the time he got home til he went to bed. I'd do the whole night time routine. I truly miss my kids not being little anymore but I'm way too old to handle a schedule like that anymore.

[lovemydaycare0912]

Oh you are most definitely not alone. My daycare has been open one year and me and DH run it together. We work about 50-60 hours a week in the daycare and closing at 6pm doesn't leave me much energy to do anything else. We try to get out on weekends but sometimes we just want to relax or I have so much cleaning to do we don't get the chance. Please make sure you get out, see some sunlight, or find something you like to do. We go to church and try to do date night once a week.

[MunchkinWrangler]

You're not alone. My son is 2 and that describes my night to a T. Lately, because I have been in a rut, I've been bringing us out to eat or I just go for a drive(driving relaxes me) and my son loves it too. I'm waiting for spring so we can be outside more, my backyard is a muddy mess right now with all the snow that has melted.

I do have to say that it is getting monotonous and I can't wait for vacation, I am planning one and have just handed out my days off for the year. I took the liberty in giving myself random 3 day weekends so I have something to look forward to as well. Maybe try doing that and make a point to plan something even if it's a quick trip to the zoo or the park, something simple.

[permanentvacation]

I used to go riding around my city just to get out of the house. I wasn't running errands, didn't have a destination, I just drove around simply to see something other than the inside of my house! I had to stop driving around a while ago because I can't afford the gas money. So now I either Skype with my sister, play with my dog, or watch tv to get my mind off of the fact that I'm still in the same house that I've been in all day long.

I also found myself talking for an inappropriate length of time to cashiers when I went shopping! I was just so excited to be able to talk to an adult that I couldn't shut up and leave the store!

[Play Care]

When my own kids were little, yes.
I started volunteering at our local library one night a week. This is my adult time. I like volunteering because unlike a second job there's a lot of flexibility, and unlike other activities it doesn't cost me money.

I also meal plan each week making sure most recipes are slow cooker or casseroles. This way dinner is ready when it's time and I'm not feeling as though I go right from work to dinner to baths and bed. As it's staying lighter out later as soon as the last dck leaves, I go out for a run. By myself

On a side note, am I the only one who refuses to do day care work/cleaning on the evenings or weekends? I clean throughout the day, plan and prep during nap time, and do heavier cleaning when my assistant is here. My goal each day is that when the last kid leaves my house is already "evening ready" or on Friday "weekend ready."