8 years… 8 years of being a stay at home mom and 6+ years of working from home. Eight years of putting my family first and revolving my days around my kids, their needs, activities and schedules. On one hand, eight years doesn’t sound too long but on the other hand… EIGHT YEARS!!
I can’t believe this was 8 years ago…
Come this September, all three boys will be in school full-time. When I speak to most people about this, they sigh and pout. I’m assuming they are feeling bitter sweet about the fact that I no longer have ‘babies’ and that all of my kids are officially “grown-up”. I on the other hand, do a little dance. I’m excited, I’m ready! I feel like I’ve put in my time and I’m ready for a change in my daily routine. I sort of felt the itch a year ago, but obviously knew that an end was just around the corner. Yes, I’ll miss seeing them as much as I do now. However, my hope is that if I put in a full day (6 hours to be exact) into myself and my needs, I’ll be completely focused, distraction free, and tuned into my kids when they are done school. Truthfully, I can’t really say that is happening right now when Nate is home with me or even after I pick up Kyle and Ryan from school. I really think this will set me in the path of being a hands-free mom, which is something I’ve wanted to do for the past few years (unsuccessfully).
The other big question that most people have when I tell them that I’ll be home and “free”next year is “What will you do?” Will I go back to work (aka to the downtown desk job I had pre kids), or take on a new job and work from home? The truth is, my only plan right now is “status quo”. That means that I’ll still continue to focus on the blog, but I’ll be doing it during the day time instead of at night when the kids are in bed. I also plan on starting to volunteer more (I’m open to suggestions if you have any recommendations), and I want to continue to focus on my health and wellness. Part of that includes training for a full marathon.
So while it doesn’t appear that I have a lot on my plate once the boys start school, you’ll be surprised how quickly the day passes. This summer I’ve had the opportunity to be at home for a total of 4 weeks while all 3 boys are at camp. But after drop off, working out, doing blog work, and running errands, it’s time to pick them up from camp and prepare dinner. It’s still pretty busy and full. Although I must admit that I have much more down time now and can eat my meals in peace. Basically, the biggest change is the stress factor. Nothing is a rush (usually) and I’m less exhausted. It also frees up my nights which I’m thankful for (because there’s so much to watch on Netflix).
So ya, getting a glimpse into my new reality has definitely been interesting. Hopefully I can get into a better routine and schedule to free up some time to get everything that I want to get done. After all, there’s a “honey-do” list that is 8 years long…
Any tips or advice for this “ready for a change” mama?
Love this! I’m so thrilled for you… this next chapter of your life will be different than the last, but wonderful in so many ways. Let me know if you’re free for coffee. 😉
Oh, and as far as volunteering goes… I’ve always loved helping out in my kids’ classes. From helping run the home reading program to helping out one morning a week with art projects and more, it has been a wonderful experience.
You definitely will have more time to focus on work and yourself! But yes, the days will pass just as quickly and even more so, as the kids become more involved in extracurriculars. I find I’m still scrambling because there seems to be much more to do now that they’re older! Such a fab milestone!
Sounds amazing! Enjoy the time you have to spend on yourself and of course the blog lol. You deserve it!
My younger one starts kindergarten in sept and though I work full time right now I am so looking forward to the next phase! I definitely want to work on my health.