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Parenting & Farm Kids:  And baby makes...8!  |
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mrsalf97
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Shannon
Louisiana
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 29 2008 : 09:30:05 AM
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Congratulations! I hope you have a happy and healthy nine months!
Shannon |
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Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
Posted - Oct 29 2008 : 11:09:37 AM
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Thanks, Amy for asking! Yes, I am feeling much better now (as long as I don't go hungry for more then 5 minutes!), but now I am suffering from exhaustion. I get a burst of energy in the morning, when I am getting the older ones ready for school and it lasts until about lunch time. I try to get as much laundry, yard chores, soaping, etc. done during that time because I am useless the rest of the day! I usually try to get dinner made then, too, and just heat it up in the evening.
One of my kids does gymnastics, and another does guitar lessons. The others are just so young still that they just hang out with me and play! They are good kids, though, so it makes life easier. ;)
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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velvetcadi7
True Blue Farmgirl
54 Posts
Amy
Galva
IL
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2008 : 07:55:40 AM
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I am so curious because I was an only child and grew up with quiet and a lot of alone time. I was also involved in a lot of activities. I tried a little bit of everything and never had to chose. Now I have 3 kids & babysit for one more. It is a whole different noisy, chaotic world! My hubby and I have talked about having more but I worry about...well, everything. Right now my oldest two are in scouts, 4-H and play baseball, soccer, and football. We are usually gone 3 -4 nights a week for activities and sometimes more. I also am the den leader for one scout group and the cub master for the town, cloverbuds leader and usually coach 1 or 2 soccer teams. I wonder how we can keep up when our daughter (2) starts into this stuff and then to add one more?? I already see that I am less involved with my second son's activities than I was with my first! How do you balance - not to mention afford - activities for everyone?
Thanks for your input! |
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Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2008 : 08:47:30 AM
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Wow, Amy, you are busy! I think I would go crazy with all that on my plate. You must be Super Woman! :) For us, we decided that each child could do one activity at a time. So, for example, my oldest is taking guitar lessons, and then decided that she wanted to do dance, too. Well, she will have to finish out the year of guitar lessons before she starts a new activity. Also, we go the cheap route wherever possible; my BIL teaches the guitar, my SIL teaches dance, another SIL teaches piano, a friend down the road organized a playgroup once a week, etc. and we barter much of the time. I see no reason to pay for the 'professionally' organized activities, because honestly it is unlikely that any of my children will happen to turn out to be prodigies at any of these things. Really, I care more that they learn about something in a relaxed environment, and learn how to stick with something (and not just quit when they are bored with it) then if they become professional athletes or world class musicians. Also, at home, we do lots of activities during the day that teach them some of these things as well, so extra activities in the evenings aren't necessary. We paint, play with playdough, and I use the internet a lot to learn about something new I can teach them (that's how we learned the recorder and how to make paper mache, and do lots of baking projects!). It's important for them to be well-rounded, but it's more important for the family to be spending time together. You can't be doing that if you are constantly running here and there to let someone else teach you kids things you could teach them yourself. I hope you don't take offense! You are doing wonderful things with your kids, and the time you spend volunteering with scouts and soccer is so valuable to those you are helping. I can't wait until my son is old enough for scouts! You must just be so busy, I would think it would be hard to enjoy any of it!
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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Homespun Livin
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Brenda
Louisiana
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2008 : 7:53:44 PM
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Molly,
Do you homeschool your kids? I do and I have 2. I am just wondering how you tie it all together if you do.
"Love one another." |
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Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2008 : 2:29:12 PM
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Brenda, I have been seriously considering it lately. I haven't been too happy with the 'information' my kids have been coming home with, especially recently. I am afraid of overwhelming myself, though, if I started homeschooling. I did joyschool with 2 of my kids and that was wonderful; I loved the co-op of moms who took turns teaching each week so no one had to do too much. I wish I could get some moms together who were interested in homeschooling and who's kids were my kids ages and we could give it a go with a co-op type set up. What ages are your kids? Have you noticed them being ahead/ behind others their ages? Do you find it hard to be motivated to dedicate a portion of the day towards studies?
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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5 acre Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1007 Posts
~~~*Terri*~~~
WA.
USA
1007 Posts |
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Homespun Livin
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Brenda
Louisiana
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2008 : 2:30:26 PM
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Molly,
I have a 13 year old and a 10 year old. I have always homeschooled them. We are very relaxed about it. I am not a morning person at all, so we don't start anything until I have had at least 2 cups of coffee and my brain is well awake! If we get started at 10:00 am then we are usually done by 1:00 pm. It just fits our rhythm of life. I live semi close to other homeschool families, but they all have their own way of doing things and their own family schedules, so we just all do our own thing and make it fit our life. We don't try to keep up with the public school system of doing things, but all curriculum is pretty much standard in what is taught at what grade level. The best thing is that if your child " gets it" they can work ahead in that subject and if they "struggle" with a subject then you can slow down until it is mastered. I would rather my child master fractions or whatever the subject instead of trying to keep them caught up with the family down the street, ya know. You do what is best for you though. That is what matters most. Email me if you want to chat more about it. Okay?
"Love one another." |
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knittingmom
True Blue Farmgirl
665 Posts
AnneMarie
Edmonton
Alberta
Canada
665 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2008 : 2:47:52 PM
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Congratulations! I hope you begin to feel better as you get further along. You'll have to let us know what you have.
Anne-Marie |
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velvetcadi7
True Blue Farmgirl
54 Posts
Amy
Galva
IL
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 4:07:01 PM
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| Molly - about the activities discussion - I am not offended at all!!! That is why I asked for your opinion. I appreciate another view. And no, I am far from a superwoman. I am just very organized to make as little running as possible. We have scout meetings at our house for two hours twice a month after school. I don't leave home and the meeting is over in time for supper. The sports are all 6 week programs so there is not any overlap. If I am only coaching one team, I schedule the practices for the same time/place as the other boy. I totally get the whole babysitter thing and feel that I am one to other people's kids a lot of the time. I get so frustrated with the parents sometimes but have learned to keep my focus on the kids. My kids and I are very "social" types so we enjoy the group activies. Right now it is nice that the two oldest boys are in alot of the same things. I just worry that with the 5 year age gap it will be harder when my daughter is ready to start some of these things. However, my oldest pointed out to me the other day that when she joins 4-H with him - he will be able to drive her to the meetings!!!!! YIKES |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2008 : 4:35:09 PM
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Tooting horn..... throwing confetti. Congratulations.. babies are such a blessing. I love babies!
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Cheryl #309
Farm girl sister
Enjoy the little things in life....someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things. |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: And baby makes...8! |
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And baby makes...8!
