Pretty much every day, my kids nap from around 1-3pm. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less (or, as in today, seemingly NOT AT ALL). But generally, I have a 2-ish hour break in the afternoon. As most other moms I know, especially those who are at home full-time, I live for naptime. I need the quiet time, I need the break from demands and tantrums. Delightful and awesome though my kids can often be, we all know it’s exhausting.
As much as I love that time, though, it’s never ever long enough. On any given day, for any given naptime, here’s what’s probably on my to-do list:
- Sew
- Shred
- Shower
- Laundry
- Dishes
- Blog/Email
- Catch up on DVR
- Sit still
- Read
- Clean
- Cook
- Sleep (almost never)
On a really good day, when I’m feeling efficient and the kids take an extra long nap, I might touch on two of those. Maybe three (Shred, shower, email). And, obviously, I can only do things during naptime that I can do inside my own house. I can’t go for a run, pick up groceries, or anything else.
No wonder I feel chronically behind. If I use the time to exercise, then I’m not getting any sewing done. If I use the time to sew, I don’t have time for a blog post. I can’t keep up with the very few shows that I like to watch. And despite getting a Kindle for Christmas, I have spent almost zero time reading.
There isn’t exactly a solution, of course. Sure, some of those things can be done when the kids are awake (throw in a load of laundry, prep dinner, etc.). And many of them are hardly necessities. But still… if only there were a few more quiet hours in the day, right?
So right! With ‘work on PhD’ added to that list (well, virtually the only thing I let myself put on that list any more), and the fact that my kids don’t always nap at the same time (one barely even naps at all anymore), and I totally feel your pain. The older one goes to school two days a week, but that hardly makes a dent. I try to force myself to reserve things like laundry and cooking for when the kids are awake, for better or worse.
.-= Tara´s last blog ..Happy Holidays! =-.
This is why I will most likely never give up my work from home job! Two parents working outside the house? None of that can be done outside the home for 9-10 hours. I am insanely productive between the time I drop off the kids & work – laundry, dishwasher, shower. Then I work out on my lunch break.
Think of the possibilities for pre-school time!
.-= LauraC´s last blog ..Dropping the nap =-.
So true! There’s no way to get one tenth of the things done I’d like to get done during naptime- unless I grow superpowers. I like to have “me time” after the girls go to bed, but then I don’t get any sleep… I will probably not make a dent in the to-do list until they go to pre-school.
.-= Jungletwins´s last blog ..Birth Story (and it’s a doozy) =-.
I’ve been feeling this way too for quite some time. And my to-do list just seems to get longer and longer every day. Some days I try to be super productive, but other days, I feel defeated just looking at the list and barely get through anything. As you said, there’s probably no easy solution. We just do what we can do, and then do some more the next day, and the next day, and the next day…
.-= reanbean´s last blog ..Potty Training: The Weekend Update =-.
I love nap time, but it is so hard to know what to use this precious time for. Should I be good and clean or go on the computer, or read, or etc.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Working =-.
Oh man, this post hit close to home. I’m just so lucky that my husband is understanding if nothing on the list gets done. I’m also like Jungletwins, I choose night time for me time and catch up on the things that are really bugging me like the dirty dishes piling up (how is it that we have so many sippy cups yet none of them are ever clean?). I better go to sleep now, the boys will be waking up in about 7 hours if I’m lucky (sigh).
The hardest part lately for me is that with working after the kids are in bed I have no TV/hobby time at all and I have to work during their nap times on the weekends. But enough about me. I think you try to be “homier” with all the cooking and cleaning because you are home – but that it’s okay to cut some corners on meals, let the laundry slide, etc. to give yourself more time during the day to enjoy the kids.
.-= Mommy, Esq.´s last blog ..Back On the Chart Again =-.
I have to agree with Laura that I actually think it’s easier with working and having Cameron in daycare during the day. BigFinance is very flexible so I can run errands during the work day if needed or work from home and actually get things like laundry done. Now if only they would install an exercise room at the office…then I’d have no excuse to knock off the pregnancy pounds!
.-= Stacey´s last blog ..Dropping bottles – advice requested =-.
I also struggle with what to do during nap time/after they go to bed, versus what to get done during the day. I try to give myself enough time to sit and recharge in the evenings, but inevitably weekends feel like a lot of “go play so mommy can do x!”
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Down down baby =-.
I commend you for putting Shred so high on the list of nap time to-do’s. Because, man alive, I can tell you I would excuse myself from that one on a daily basis! You know, so as to not “make noise” and wake the kiddies or anything
.-= Cynthia´s last blog ..The Story. =-.