SAHM's Thread

abbysue715 · 09-28-2011, 12:57 PM

Thought I would see if any other SAHM's wanted to have our own thread. I have a almost 7 month old little boy. I am still breastfeeding. I also watch three two year olds. I love getting to be here for all of his milestones but today these other kids are making me BONKERS!!

So how many kids do you have and what are their ages?

mzKiki · 09-28-2011, 01:36 PM

I have 3 16, 2 & 4. My 2 year old and 4 year old drive me crazy most days lol. I can't imagine taking care of additional ones.

berryblondeboys · 09-28-2011, 01:37 PM

Well, I guess I hardly count as SAHM mom now since both my kids are in school full day, but I have a 6 year old with autism (asperger's) and a 15 year old with strong ADHD. Believe me, those two wear me out - as does my 76 MIL who lives with us (I do all the cooking and cleaning).

But today is the FIRST DAY in a week that I found an hour to myself to watch something on TV... so I'm still way busy!

Hang in there - those young years are tough!

Lambiechop · 09-28-2011, 01:42 PM

I have a 4 and 6 year old.

TL0812 · 09-28-2011, 01:43 PM

I have a 6 month old and a 3 year old. I stay at home with them now, but will probably go back to work in early 2012.

abbysue715 · 09-28-2011, 01:44 PM

What are you guys doing for diet and exercise?

Berry- I figure if I can get the hang of a healthy lifestyle now when its so hard that its only going to get easier right? I want to live somewhere where are the cooking and cleaning get done for me, where do I sign up? Lol

To both of you, Was it hard to have such a huge age gap between your first and second kids?

I focus on whole read.food versus diet food and move as much as I can wherever I can fit it in.

banananutmuffin · 09-28-2011, 01:45 PM

I'm a SAHM to a 3 yr old and a 10 month old. Some days are really rough. Hubby doesn't get it though. I tried to explain it to him once:

"Imagine you were at your job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Maybe you're not as busy as you are now, but every hour you need to spend at least 15 minutes working. Wouldn't that ever wear you down? Knowing that you could never leave your job to go home? Knowing that you would be there, at work, every moment of your life?"

He still didn't get it.

I'm grateful Hubby has a good job so I CAN be a SAHM. I love my children and treasure the moments that we have together. But it can get frustrating sometimes. That's just part of parenthood, I think.

The most important thing for me is to carve time out for myself. Sometimes that means leaving the kids with Hubby so I can get my haircut or go grocery shopping. I find that an hour or two of peace can really help me recharge.

Huha · 09-28-2011, 01:47 PM

I have 3 children. 5 yo girl, 3 yo girl and 1 yo boy. I am still bf my baby. My oldest goes to school and so I try to run with my youngest two in a stroller but there has so much rain that it is hard to get out.

Finding time to work out is definitely the biggest challenge. My baby loves me times k-zillion (as in really only wants me even though dh is fantastic). It makes getting away to work out difficult to do after his work and needing to make dinner and getting the kids to bed.

fattymcfatty · 09-28-2011, 01:52 PM

I am a SAHM to a 2.5 year old girl, and we are going to work on baby #2 starting next month. I enjoy it, but it is definitely an adjustment--I taught high school before I was laid off when she turned 1, so I've been a SAHM for a little over a year now. I'd like to continue this until my kiddos are older, but we'll definitely need more income once my unemployment benefits run out. I've been thinking about maybe getting a night job part-time, or weekends and/or seasonal work, so I can be here for my kids. I don't want both of us to work full-time while we have little ones.

But I think the financial sacrifice is way worth the amount of time I get to spend with my daughter.

berryblondeboys · 09-28-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbysue715

What are you guys doing for diet and exercise?

Berry- I figure if I can get the hang of a healthy lifestyle now when its so hard that its only going to get easier right? I want to live somewhere where are the cooking and cleaning get done for me, where do I sign up? Lol

To both of you, Was it hard to have such a huge age gap between your first and second kids?

I focus on whole read.food versus diet food and move as much as I can wherever I can fit it in.

It will get way easier. HOnestly, I couldn't have done it with a little one - they didn't sleep, so I didn't sleep and lack of sleep with me means bad decisions. This is only possible for me now because I have some control over my life.

And the age gap? Well, for now, I love it. I basically have two singletons. They don't compete for our attention almost ever. I can't compare or choose favorites because they are at such different places in their lives. However, when my 15 year old goes to college, that will be weird. And he will go young as he has an August 29th bday and is a baby in his class. He'll be still 17 when he leaves for college! Just three years away and I'll have a 4th grader. Keeping that sibling bond will be tougher, but both kids are really attached to each other. We were lucky in that way - they were both just born very loving kids.

Ryler832 · 09-28-2011, 02:31 PM

I am currently a SAHM. I have 2 that are 8 years old and 14 months. I will be going back to work when my daughter turns 2. She is very humble and laid back. Does what she is told. No tantrums, no crying, no nothing. I always have to find things to do because she doesn't keep me on my feet like most babies do.

miatutu · 09-28-2011, 02:40 PM

I am a SAHM too. 2, 9 and 12. I worked up until the last one. I thought I would love being a SAHM but I really don't. Me and my husband keep trying to figure out if I should go back to work or not. I am a better person when I have time away from the family. I need adult time and I feel like I never get it. I have been home for 2 1/2 years now. I thought I would like it by now. LOL.
For exercise, I push her in the stroller alot, or wait for my oldest to get home and do a couple quick laps while he stays with the baby. I have been doing mini workouts (10 min vidoes) when I can fit them in. If I am watching tv, I try to do standing abs or squats or something for a couple minutes a few times a day. But when you r home all day, it is the not snacking part that is the hardest for me.

sacha · 09-28-2011, 03:11 PM

I am a SAHM too, he is 16 months old, he still has acid reflux and I'm up 2-4x a night with that but he is otherwise now a happy boy

Very colicky when younger. Snacking is a problem for me too, because I get bored. I don't speak the local language so it's not so easy for me to go out and meet other moms.

abbysue715 · 09-28-2011, 03:28 PM

Banananut- my dh is the same way. I really think he believes that since I dont leave the house i have it so much easier. Wrong!

Miatutu- you have to do what's best for you. I believe ONE of the best thing for kids is to see their parents happy and enjoying life. If working outside the home does that for you then be it.

Fatty- I totally agree about the financial sacrifice being worth it. My mom always says "They are only little once."

Not snacking is really hard for me too. So is cooking dinner. Especially when the baby has been real fussy or i haven't gotten much sleep. But progress, not perfection right?

I have decided its WHINY WEDNESDAY! I think the two year olds lost their talking voices.

mzKiki · 09-28-2011, 07:50 PM

I have a gym membership but NEVER use it. What a phenomenal waste of money. I have a whole stash of exercise DVD's a treadmill (never used) and a stationary bike. I used to wait until nap time but now I just tell them mommy's working out and to go play lol.
It worked great for me with the age gap with the kids. I did have to deal with a little jealousy from my oldest as she was used to being an only child for 12 yrs. It's much harder with the 2 children closer in age, but more fun as well.