Anonymous wrote:Some of it is choice I guess. I really want to go to the gym and Dh encourages me. But I cannot go when the house is a disaster, dishes everywhere and laundry that needs done. Dh doesn’t see why I can’t just stop doing it.

I feel like my “free time” comes at the expense of other things. Yes I can make time for friends, but it might mean I can’t get dinner done or my work done at night. I can only shuffle all my chores a little. And if I hit the easy button too much, my whole life basically implodes under the weight of chores I didn’t complete.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, absolutely the younger your kids are the harder it is.

But second, I haven't felt overwhelmed, almost ever, since my kids were 8 and 5. We are a two working parent household with a teen and a tween.

I think it is about choices. I don't feel the need to do anything if I don't think it is the highest priority for my family. That means that we say no to a lot of stuff- no PTA, only attend meetings and events related school where I truly believe there is information conveyed that impacts my kids and that I need to know (which means almost none). We worked hard to make sure my kids were age-appropriately self-sufficient (not as a way to reduce our workload, but because we think it is good parenting). As a result, I haven't packed a lunch, made breakfast, or done kids laundry in years. We are not involved in homework at all. All four members of the household split "chores" around the house. We have also developed a strong "village"- so carpooling happens easily, which means less driving around.

Ninety percent of the time, I have at least two hours of "free time" every day before I go to sleep at 10:00.

I'm not trying to be smug. My sincere advice is to take a hard look at all the things you do that take up your time and consider what would happen if you just...didn't do it.

What does the 5 year old make for breakfast?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you busy doing?

I know people who have no free time because they are full time professionals with an additional small business and four children who travel a lot, and I know people who are SAH parents with extensive PTA and volunteer obligations, drive every carpool, participate in every activity, and host endless parties for elaborate social events (Flag Day, half birthdays, team dinners, etc...) and feel compelled to clean and renovate and bake a lot. I also know people who work two jobs, have a kid or two, and spend all their time sleeping, working, making dinner or grocery shopping, and might get to go to church or watch a tv show once a week.

The first two types could absolutely reclaim free time in different ways. The third really doesn't have a lot of good options.

But even the 3rd is often filled with really inefficient people. Like my neighbor who claims she has NO TIME but insists on going to Costco on Saturdays. I order my groceries online and pick them up at Harris Teeter - it’s free and fast. I do not wait in line to pay or to exit a parking lot. I have a friend that buys gifts for nieces and nephews- but she buys them in person or has them shipped to her and then wraps them and goes to the post office to mail them - it’s a choice. She could just ship it directly to the kid.

It doesn’t bother me if people make the choice that their kids only eat homemade baked goods or only wear thrifted clothes or whatever time consuming hobby they disguise as a necessary, non-negotiable life’s choice. It bothers me when they complain about not having any free time and fail to recognize the choices they make. They do have free time, they just choose to spend it baking or going to thrift stores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, absolutely the younger your kids are the harder it is.

But second, I haven't felt overwhelmed, almost ever, since my kids were 8 and 5. We are a two working parent household with a teen and a tween.

I think it is about choices. I don't feel the need to do anything if I don't think it is the highest priority for my family. That means that we say no to a lot of stuff- no PTA, only attend meetings and events related school where I truly believe there is information conveyed that impacts my kids and that I need to know (which means almost none). We worked hard to make sure my kids were age-appropriately self-sufficient (not as a way to reduce our workload, but because we think it is good parenting). As a result, I haven't packed a lunch, made breakfast, or done kids laundry in years[b]. We are not involved in homework at all. All four members of the household split "chores" around the house. We have also developed a strong "village"- so carpooling happens easily, which means less driving around.

Ninety percent of the time, I have at least two hours of "free time" every day before I go to sleep at 10:00.

I'm not trying to be smug. My sincere advice is to take a hard look at all the things you do that take up your time and consider what would happen if you just...didn't do it.

further explain??

Hi.

My children started packing their own lunch and making their own breakfast daily in third grade. They also make their own breakfasts in the morning. They started doing their own laundry when they started middle sixth grade or so.

This does require that I do some prep work on the weekends. I grocery shop for ingredients that are easy for them to put together (sandwiches, cut up veggies with pita and hummus etc, grab-and-go fruit, and a side like pretzels or nuts or something). I also will make a batch of "healthy" muffins or a bread, or throw together an egg bake with veggies. My kids assemble and prepare both breakfast and lunch for themselves every morning.

Sooo you still make their breakfasts and lunches for them. They just assemble them together.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, absolutely the younger your kids are the harder it is.

But second, I haven't felt overwhelmed, almost ever, since my kids were 8 and 5. We are a two working parent household with a teen and a tween.

I think it is about choices. I don't feel the need to do anything if I don't think it is the highest priority for my family. That means that we say no to a lot of stuff- no PTA, only attend meetings and events related school where I truly believe there is information conveyed that impacts my kids and that I need to know (which means almost none). We worked hard to make sure my kids were age-appropriately self-sufficient (not as a way to reduce our workload, but because we think it is good parenting). As a result, I haven't packed a lunch, made breakfast, or done kids laundry in years[b]. We are not involved in homework at all. All four members of the household split "chores" around the house. We have also developed a strong "village"- so carpooling happens easily, which means less driving around.

Ninety percent of the time, I have at least two hours of "free time" every day before I go to sleep at 10:00.

I'm not trying to be smug. My sincere advice is to take a hard look at all the things you do that take up your time and consider what would happen if you just...didn't do it.

further explain??

Hi.

My children started packing their own lunch and making their own breakfast daily in third grade. They also make their own breakfasts in the morning. They started doing their own laundry when they started middle sixth grade or so.

This does require that I do some prep work on the weekends. I grocery shop for ingredients that are easy for them to put together (sandwiches, cut up veggies with pita and hummus etc, grab-and-go fruit, and a side like pretzels or nuts or something). I also will make a batch of "healthy" muffins or a bread, or throw together an egg bake with veggies. My kids assemble and prepare both breakfast and lunch for themselves every morning.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how parents in two parent households don’t have any free time. Unless there’s a disability issue or something like that going on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you busy doing?

I know people who have no free time because they are full time professionals with an additional small business and four children who travel a lot, and I know people who are SAH parents with extensive PTA and volunteer obligations, drive every carpool, participate in every activity, and host endless parties for elaborate social events (Flag Day, half birthdays, team dinners, etc...) and feel compelled to clean and renovate and bake a lot. I also know people who work two jobs, have a kid or two, and spend all their time sleeping, working, making dinner or grocery shopping, and might get to go to church or watch a tv show once a week.

The first two types could absolutely reclaim free time in different ways. The third really doesn't have a lot of good options.

But even the 3rd is often filled with really inefficient people. Like my neighbor who claims she has NO TIME but insists on going to Costco on Saturdays. I order my groceries online and pick them up at Harris Teeter - it’s free and fast. I do not wait in line to pay or to exit a parking lot. I have a friend that buys gifts for nieces and nephews- but she buys them in person or has them shipped to her and then wraps them and goes to the post office to mail them - it’s a choice. She could just ship it directly to the kid.

It doesn’t bother me if people make the choice that their kids only eat homemade baked goods or only wear thrifted clothes or whatever time consuming hobby they disguise as a necessary, non-negotiable life’s choice. It bothers me when they complain about not having any free time and fail to recognize the choices they make. They do have free time, they just choose to spend it baking or going to thrift stores. [/quote

I guess you know me IRL
I'm one of those people who feels like I have zero free time. I work at night while my family sleeps, I sleep while they're at work and school, and the other third of the day is spent taking care of everyone. Yeah, I thrift my kids' clothes and make all the food from scratch in our house. I enjoy it and it's really a hobby. I guess it just bugs me that I choose to spend my free time making food in bulk that we can eat all week and my husband chooses to spend his free time vegetating on the couch.