Going back to school will keep the smiles coming!
I am a stay-at-home working mother. Essentially, what that means is that I work 20 hours a week (not including the time put into Breezy Mama) with six hours of child care (if I’m lucky) a week. “So?” you ask? Weelllll, this turns me into Mommy Monster. I need to get the work done, but I also need to be there for my kids, and the whole thing gets me stressed. And when I get stressed, I yell. I’m sure my neighbors must think I have a serious social media addiction when I scream, “Mommy just needs five minutes to post something on Facebook!” The whole thing is ridiculous–do my 3 and 6 year old even know what Facebook is? Of course not, they just see Mommy Monster yelling again.
But that’s all about to change. You see, my son starts 1st grade tomorrow (today by the time you read this). 1st grade–a six hour and 20 minute school day. (Kindergarten was a mere four hours.) And my daughter will be going to preschool three days a week, with one extended day, plus she will have four hours of child care on the other two days. Am I excited because this means I get more “me” time? No, I really won’t get any “me” time, but I’m excited because it takes away the monster and makes me a better mother.
A fellow school mom approached me this past weekend and asked if I was ready for school to start–and I’m not, really. I love being unscheduled, being able to plan what we want, when we want . . . But, as I told her, I’m looking forward to having the kiddos in school and for me to not to have the constant push/pull guilt that I have when they are at home and I need to work. The thought of this is terribly freeing. I have visions of the three of us, making mosaics and baking cookies. Me with a smile on my face as I say, “Please don’t hit your sister” and deal the Uno cards. I know I will be happier, I know my kids will do more with me, and I know their will be a lot less television.
And the mom agreed–her resolution was to stay at home one day a week and get the housework done, gaining extra time to spend with her children when they got home from school. Which brings me to the question, is Back-to-School the new time to make resolutions? If it makes for one happy Mommy who is less frazzled and yells a lot less, I give it a big thumbs up.
Pin It
That is a great idea. A back to school resolution. Create a daily schedule and stick to it!
Oh girl, I hear ya on the mommy monster thing! And yes, I am way glad school is back in though it’s been a challenge figuring out our schedule since the kids are in school at two different parts of town. But it certainly helps.
Yes!! I too need to get myself more scheduled during the day. I’m not. I love that I have a new routine with school starting up, but I find that I’m still not organized in the home…. yet. I will be!