Today is the day that I’m going to write a wonderfully encouraging post about how I get homeschool, housekeeping, and work all done with a not quite 3 week old baby in the house.
Except, I haven’t got it figured out yet. (Strangely enough, the topic of this week’s Blog Cruise is Working and Homeschool. I couldn’t find time to write anything.)
Here’s what I do know.
Babies eat a lot. Since I am the only one who can feed him, I spend a lot of time doing just that. On the plus side, I am getting my 90Day Bible Reading done usually before 8am every day. I’m also doing other reading so I’m keeping up with my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge. I’m also getting really good at playing Bejeweled Blitz on my iPod. That and Sudoku. Those are valuable skills I’m sure.
I have to prioritize what I do with what time I have. We have to eat something for dinner so I have to make sure that gets done. People also need to have a steady supply of clean clothes, so there is no room for slacking off on the laundry. Nobody seems to be dying because my living room hasn’t been vacuumed in over a week though.
Teaching kids to do their school work independently is very valuable. We’ve been able to slowly resume some school. I am finding that the ratio of teacher-intensive subjects to independent subjects is a bit too high for our current circumstances. I will have to rethink how we “do school” in the future.
I’m also seeing some deficiencies in how I’ve trained my children. My children have chores which they are responsible for, but I have retained control of too many things. There are too many things that I’ve trained them to help with but not do. So I will be looking for ways to train the kids to have greater ownership of more household tasks.
Plumbing problems are never fun, but everything is more stressful at the moment. Thankfully, it only took the plumbers 30 minutes to fix the leak. Fixing the ceiling will be another story.
In many ways, it is much easier to have a baby when you also have “older” children. They can hold the baby and watch the baby while you take a shower. Those are certainly not things that I could let my children do when they were 2 and 4. But, there are other ways that it’s harder. Older kids still have things that they need to do. I have to figure out ways to get my daughter to violin lessons. She has a recital this week. Soccer season is coming up. I skipped this month’s book club, but would like to go back in February. Then there is Kids 4 Truth at church coming up. Obviously choices have to be made. Priorities have to be set. I can’t do everything. It’s just hard knowing what NOT to do.
By Kristen H.
((HUGS)) I hear you! Caleb is almost 2 months old and there are still things I have to let slide some days and weeks. I’ll be honest, I think anything that does get done between birth and the baby’s 5th month is a bonus. Life is school, and interrupted lessons are still something we’re learning from. Thankfully this homeschool thing lasts over a decade, right? We’ve got lots of time.
And for training on chores – oh yeah, I had far too many things they were helpers with for a while there. We started chorepacks right before Caleb came along and they have been a lifesaver. We’re going to be adding a set for afternoons here soon I think and training on some more chores with mommy and daddy on the weekend. At least, that’s the plan.
It is quite the ever changing juggling act, isn’t it? But those sweet babies are so worth it!
That’s when I start talking and praying with hubby. See what he thinks needs to be kept & dropped, and if there is anything he can do. But I’m sure it will get all worked out, just need to find our new rhythm.
That is such a bummer about your ceiling. Glad the plumbing is fix, but looks like a lot of damage. Hope that can get fixed too.
And the pictures is adorable. 🙂
JoAnn
My ‘baby’ is 4 now – but yep! It was crazy getting school done – making sure the big kids actually made it to tennis or dance. But it is nice to have older kids to help out as well!
OH! He is absolutely adorable. My 8 year old had a newborn outfit like that. sniff, sniff. Glad they are getting the plumbing issues corrected.
Well, considering my almost 9 year old son wore that outfit too, I’d say it’s the same 🙂
He is so cute!
I am just now getting some sort of normal back to my house and homeschool days. It is hard! And yes, the bigger kids make it better. How did I ever raise my first two? I have no clue!
Your poor ceiling!