Finding free time as a busy homeschool Mom

By definition, "homeschool Mom" means busy, always doing for others, taxi, manager of the home, chef, doctor, counselor, mediator, organizer, and scheduler to name just a few of the job requirements. In the midst of it all, how do we find time for ourselves? Do we need time for ourselves? When do we find time for ourselves amongst everything else on our "to do" list?

Every homeschool Mom is different so I can only speak for myself, but I absolutely need time for myself. I need time to gather my thoughts, accomplish things I need to get done, or even simply read a book and drink a cup of tea in silence. For me, my personal time helps me to recenter and unwind from the trails and tribulations of the day. Putting my feet up after a long day of mothering my 3 children gives me a chance to reflect upon the day and pray about how I could have made it better and consider the things that I particularly enjoyed from the day.

As a new homeschool Mom I used to try and squeeze my personal time in during the day when my kids were awake. When my kids all napped or had "quiet time" this worked most days. However, I am at a time in motherhood journey when quiet time during the day just isn't possible. So when do I find the much needed time for myself? My quiet time is now in the evenings after my kids have all gone to bed. All 3 of my kids have early bedtimes, partly because they are early risers but also so I can have some much needed downtime. My youngest falls asleep quickly after I put her to bed and my older boys are allowed to read until they get tired, which is typically 30 minutes or so after I put them to bed. I think my boys enjoy their quiet time in the evenings as much as I do my own quiet time.

During my evening quiet time I get to enjoy a cup of tea in peace and do whatever my heart leads me to do. Some nights I blog while on other nights you might find me reading a book, researching curriculum, or simply catching up on Facebook. It really doesn't matter what I do in the evenings just so long as I get that down time for my brain to reflect upon our day.  Personally, I find quiet time a necessity as part of my busy homeschool Mom schedule. I have also found that the quietness of the evening lets me appreciate the hustle and bustle of the day much more. I adore every minute that I get with my 3 blessings but I also enjoy the quiet time in the evenings that I work so hard for during the day.

Cruise on over to The Old Schoolhouse blog for more wonderful blogs on this topic!