YES! You Can Do It!
Do you want to be happier?
Do you want to feel content instead of overwhelmed?
Man, I know I do.
(Yes, this post is as much for me as it is you.)
I've said it before and I'll say it again, parenting is not for the weak. But if you choose to homeschool, you've taken an extra helping of crazy and added it to your insanity sundae. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, but there are days that make me wonder why I do it.
I frequent several forums for homeschoolers and moms and the common theme seems to be that parents don't know how to get it all done. I've seen the cute signs about avoiding the mess because the kids are making memories or that you should choose the kids because the mess will always be there. However, if your house isn't functioning properly, you've taken it too far. If your kids don't have any clean underwear because the laundry pile is 4 feet high, you've been making too many memories. If you've just finished your 4th fast food dinner for the week, you need to re-evaluate your priorities.
There. I said it.
Is my house perfect? No. Do I have days that I feel defeated? Yes! But I can honestly say that I have never felt like some of the women who comment on these forums. Please don't think that I am judging, I am simply heartbroken that they feel the way they do. Our kids grow up too fast and I hate to think that the happiest days are filled with stress and feelings of inadequacy.
Let's take a look at the issues that seems to sink homeschool moms faster than the Titanic.
1. Laundry
2. School- anything school related
3. Meals
4. Housekeeping
As part of my Teach Them To Fish Series, let's take look at each of these areas and figure out a way to beat it before it beats us.
We'll start with laundry which is easy to beat. Kids of any age can do something. Two year olds can help gather dirty clothes. Three and four year olds are capable of simple folding like washcloths and matching socks. Five year olds can help fold bigger items. From age six and on, you should train them to do just about anything from folding to hanging clothes. As soon as they are tall enough and old enough, they can even start a load of wash or transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer.
As for you, momma, you need to devise a system of how to rule the laundry instead of it ruling you. I can't stress it enough, DON'T have a laundry day. If there are more than 2 people in your family, you are setting yourself up for failure. There are 5 people in our house which means about 10 towels a week and 4 beds of sheets. Do one load (at least) each day. That means washed, dried and put away.
Here is your challenge:
1. Get your kids involved as much as you can.
2. Write down a laundry schedule. Start by listing the loads of laundry you do each week. (1-jeans, 2-darks, 1-whites, 1-towels, and 3 sheets)
3. Put a copy of the schedule in your laundry room and follow it!
Come back and tell me how it's working for you.
Ready...
I loathe laundry, but I have to do it in one day. It is the only chore besides cooking that gets done that day, but at the end of the day it is done and it is done for about 8 days before I repeat it. The girls take turns taking the clothes out of the dryer. Can I use the excuse of being too short to be able to load the washer? Then, they sort into piles their things, towels and dishtowels. They fold and put away the towels and dish towels. I fold most everything else. Each child has a kid-sized laundry basket and they each put their own things away. Even R2 (21 months) puts his things in his drawers b/c he wants to be just like his big sis. It works for us, but at the end of the day it is done. I don't iron until it is worn.
ReplyDeleteYou wash all towels, sheets and clothes in one day? With 4 kids? You are my hero!
ReplyDeleteI always put a load in at night while I am usually watching tv or reading, so it is ready to start the day, but other than that, yes. I am on the last load now, 8, sometimes 9 loads in all. And we have a big washer.
ReplyDelete