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mom2mpr
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| Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 8:13am | IP Logged
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I remember my parents having time to sit in front of the TV or fireplace and talk, or read the newspaper. Mom had time to mend, iron, etc. What is it about today? I cannot find this nice time to do little things or relax.
I know as we siblings got older we did the dishes while my parents went into the den to catch up on things together. My kids are together all day and putting them on dish duty at the end of the day would be disaster--probably major fighting.
What is it?
Is it really that much more busy now?
Are my kids just not trained well enough?
Ah, maybe it is bedtime-which is late. And requires stories, prayers, etc. Together. But I LOVE that!
Ideas??
I might put this on my Christmas list It is a present that my family can give me for the whole year!
Anne
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 9:34am | IP Logged
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computer time  eats up a good bit too
Maybe you could clean up the kitchen together after dinner so that it gets done quickly and everyone gets some free time.
I do think there are things that are longer and busier.. longer commutes, longer school or work days, more things to get to.
I know that I didn't do many activities after school, or when I did, I was dropped off and picked up. And I know I'm going and watching my kids and am generally *there*  for a lot of it.
For me dinner was earlier when I was growing up and more consistent so there was more after dinner time.
And yes my sister and I did dishes then. And yes I'm trying to train mine to do dishes then (on days we finish dinner earlier enough) And if they can't work together they can work seperately.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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jenk
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| Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 11:25am | IP Logged
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When I look back, my folks seemed to have more time too and I wonder why we don't seem to.
Then I remember... computers/the internet were a non issue back then, we had only 3 or 4 TV channels, no dvd's and VHS movies were rented at a small shop 20 minutes from our house so only on special occasions, I was in school all day so my mom could clean house and run errands during the day- kid-free, I only had one activity at a time and NOT all the time and we lived close to extended family so there was a lot of support.
Now we are trying to do the same things but with kids home all day and having total charge of their education, we still clean house but with a house full of people- we are home to make more messes, we have the computer and tv taking up time... and video games, and more activities (and like Jodie - either dh or I stay to watch), and we don't have a lot of extended family around either.
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Jen
with 2 boys, 14 and 8, and a girl expected 1/09
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SusanJ
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| Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 1:11pm | IP Logged
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The computer. If ours is down or if I just have the discipline to not turn it on I find that I accomplish quite a bit during the day and have time to open a book or knit or read the whole newspaper as well as stay more engaged with my kids.
Such a hard balance . . .
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Mom to Joseph-8, Margaret-6, William-4, Gregory-2, and new little one due 11/1
Life Together
[URL=http://thejohnstonkids.blogspot.com]The Kids' Blog[/UR
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Willa
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| Posted: Dec 16 2009 at 5:24pm | IP Logged
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Some time-spenders that occur to me besides the computer one:
--Keeping an immaculate house (possible for our mother's generation with kids in school and a cleaning lady, but probably a time-buster for homeschool moms).
--Chauffering or going to lots of out of home activities. Not just the activity time, but the travel time and getting ready/coming down time. It really adds up.
--Late bedtimes (I know when I go to bed late, and/or the kids do, it's harder to be "done" by dinnertime and have some leisure moments. In former days children were in bed by 7 or 8 pm. Mine definitely aren't.)
--Time-consuming homeschool projects (I know that homeschooling is time-consuming, and that lots of the most fun things are time-consuming, but just saying it might eat up time).
--Also, in general, I think we modern homeschooling people tend to have our kids around us more. At least, I know I was gone from the house a LOT as a child and not because I had many scheduled activities -- school and time outdoors took a huge part of my day.
--One more that just occurred to me as I listened to my youngers scatter math manipulatives behind me -- STUFF. I think stuff-maintenance can zap a lot of time.
-- And just having a large, active, close family -- it's a wonderful blessing, but I know I am a way bigger part of my kids' lives than my parents were of mine. Having people around all day can be an energy drain if you are an introvert. I love my kids, but when my husband occasionally takes several or all of them somewhere, I suddenly feel like cleaning the whole house or doing some project -- so much more energy than usual [
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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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Barb.b
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| Posted: Dec 17 2009 at 7:45am | IP Logged
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You mean in the evening? My mom did too (Dad came home and worked in his study). But she wasn't homeschooiing. I don't have time like that in the evening because I am homeschooling 3 and one is a highschooler. This means at night I am doing Saxon Advanced math and physics to keep up with him!
Barb
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: "Free" time?
