xpost: coping w/becoming a SAHM?

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Have you decided to make this arrangement permanent?
Or is this just a stop-gap measure until you can find another
job?
I think the main thing to surviving being a SAHM,
particularly if you're not temperamentally suited to it,
is to get out as much as possible. Don't just hang around
the house. It's a challenge to get out and meet other folks
who are home most of the day, and it will likely take a while.
You may also find that you don't resonate with the folks you
meet right away. Some will get better with time, and in other
cases you'll move on to find others who are more like-minded.
Keep an open mind--you may find at first that all SAHPs seem
alike, and not what you're used to in the way of companions.
If you get to know them a bit better, you'll likely find
that they have more to offer than you initially thought
(though of course, some just won't pan out).
In addition to finding friends to do things with
(ideally with kids about the same age as yours), get out
and do things on your own too. Find classes for the kids,
go to a gym that has childcare, go to the park, etc. It
will keep the kids occupied (they're probably not used to
sitting around the house either) and give you an opportunity
to meet others too. Try to get out of the house every single
day.

Best wishes,
Ericka


Quite honestly, I don't feel like getting out of the house. It seems to be a
massive effort to even get out of bed in the mornings.

When I lost my job, pretty much all of the extras got cut out, like the gym
membership. So basically if I'm going to get them out, then it needs to be
something we can do for free. The kids aren't used to sitting around the
house either, they are ususally with other kids or at the very least running
errands with the babysitter.

I don't think that this is going to be a permanent arrangement, we're just
out of money for anything but the bills...so the daycare had to go.

Thanks,

Maria
Kelly 2/19/00
Kyle 7/9/01

Kind of on the same note-rather than having to miss regularly for prenatals
and have my students have to adjust to a new teacher halfway through the
year, we decided that I should start staying home this fall while pregnant,
instead of waiting until the baby comes. That sounded great in May, when I
turned in my letter of intent. But now school starts next week, and I'm
already bored. I don't really have any friends who don't work, at least
during the school year, and while there are playgroups and activities for
mommys with babies, there aren't exactly playgroups for fetuses! So, what
kind of things can I do to keep myself from going insane during these next
few months, when I'm supposed to be resting, avoiding stress, and preparing
for the baby?

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 12:56:45 EDT, "Maria Danielle Darst"
wrote:

When I lost my job, pretty much all of the extras got cut out, like the gym
membership. So basically if I'm going to get them out, then it needs to be
something we can do for free. The kids aren't used to sitting around the
house either, they are ususally with other kids or at the very least running
errands with the babysitter.

You need to find things you can do for free or at least very
inexpensively.

Note here, much will depend on where you live and what you
and they enjoy, but there are plenty of things you can do.

Make a list of the activities you all enjoy. Do you like to bike,
to hike, to swim, to collect things, to do crafts, to make music,
etc.

Then think outside the box and be creative. How can you do
these things without spending much money. If you enjoy hiking,
take a homemade picnic lunch and get out and walk. If you
like biking, get everyone on their bikes perhaps taking a picnic
lunch with you as well. If you enjoy music, think of ways to make
music rather than listen to it: sing, play harmonicas or make your
own instruments. Go to the library and get books that tell you how
to make them from recycled materials. You can do the same with
arts and crafts too.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

Maria Danielle Darst wrote:

Quite honestly, I don't feel like getting out of the house. It seems to be a
massive effort to even get out of bed in the mornings.

I understand you don't feel like it, but truly,
you'll feel better once you start going out most days.
You don't have to go to something that costs money.
Even just going to the park or visiting friends makes
a huge difference. You can go to the library or look
for other free events in your community.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Donna Metler" wrote in message
. ..
Kind of on the same note-rather than having to miss regularly for
prenatals
and have my students have to adjust to a new teacher halfway through the
year, we decided that I should start staying home this fall while
pregnant,
instead of waiting until the baby comes. That sounded great in May, when I
turned in my letter of intent. But now school starts next week, and I'm
already bored. I don't really have any friends who don't work, at least
during the school year, and while there are playgroups and activities for
mommys with babies, there aren't exactly playgroups for fetuses! So, what
kind of things can I do to keep myself from going insane during these next
few months, when I'm supposed to be resting, avoiding stress, and
preparing
for the baby?



When I was home alone while pregnant with DD (and newly arrived in a new
city, so I knew almost no one who stayed at home), I walked a lot (and met
the neighbors that way), decorated the house, read a lot, visited the
library, went to movies. Luckily, we live near DC so the museums are free -
that was always good for day visits. My SIL who lives in NYC where museums
are not free said she went to art galleries and parks. She also took
pottery classes.

I also started going to LLL because I wanted to know more about
breastfeeding (hadn't really a clue except what other women told me). That
opened up a social group for me. I don't know if you're taking any prenatal
courses, but that's a way for pregnant women whose due date are close to
meet (so in essence, a pre-playgroup for fetuses).


Jeanne

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 15:30:33 EDT, "Donna Metler"
wrote:

Kind of on the same note-rather than having to miss regularly for prenatals
and have my students have to adjust to a new teacher halfway through the
year, we decided that I should start staying home this fall while pregnant,
instead of waiting until the baby comes. That sounded great in May, when I
turned in my letter of intent. But now school starts next week, and I'm
already bored. I don't really have any friends who don't work, at least
during the school year, and while there are playgroups and activities for
mommys with babies, there aren't exactly playgroups for fetuses! So, what
kind of things can I do to keep myself from going insane during these next
few months, when I'm supposed to be resting, avoiding stress, and preparing
for the baby?

Music? s


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

In article , Donna Metler says...

Kind of on the same note-rather than having to miss regularly for prenatals
and have my students have to adjust to a new teacher halfway through the
year, we decided that I should start staying home this fall while pregnant,
instead of waiting until the baby comes. That sounded great in May, when I
turned in my letter of intent. But now school starts next week, and I'm
already bored. I don't really have any friends who don't work, at least
during the school year, and while there are playgroups and activities for
mommys with babies, there aren't exactly playgroups for fetuses! So, what
kind of things can I do to keep myself from going insane during these next
few months, when I'm supposed to be resting, avoiding stress, and preparing
for the baby?



Well, it's obvious - start a playgroup for fetuses ;-)

Banty

Donna Metler wrote:

So, what
kind of things can I do to keep myself from going insane during these next
few months, when I'm supposed to be resting, avoiding stress, and preparing
for the baby?

Usenet!

In article ,
"Maria Danielle Darst" wrote:

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Have you decided to make this arrangement permanent?
Or is this just a stop-gap measure until you can find another
job?
I think the main thing to surviving being a SAHM,
particularly if you're not temperamentally suited to it,
is to get out as much as possible. Don't just hang around
the house. It's a challenge to get out and meet other folks
who are home most of the day, and it will likely take a while.
You may also find that you don't resonate with the folks you
meet right away. Some will get better with time, and in other
cases you'll move on to find others who are more like-minded.
Keep an open mind--you may find at first that all SAHPs seem
alike, and not what you're used to in the way of companions.
If you get to know them a bit better, you'll likely find
that they have more to offer than you initially thought
(though of course, some just won't pan out).
In addition to finding friends to do things with
(ideally with kids about the same age as yours), get out
and do things on your own too. Find classes for the kids,
go to a gym that has childcare, go to the park, etc. It
will keep the kids occupied (they're probably not used to
sitting around the house either) and give you an opportunity
to meet others too. Try to get out of the house every single
day.

Best wishes,
Ericka


Quite honestly, I don't feel like getting out of the house. It seems to be a
massive effort to even get out of bed in the mornings.

BTDT. It could well be clinical depression.

In which case you may have to FORCE yourself to get out of the house,
and get active.

I know how hard it is -- really! -- but you will feel better if you do.
And there are free things to do in every community, even it it's just
hanging out at the park -- but chances are good the local library had
story time for the kids, and you may well be able to find formal play
groups if you look around.

Good luck. I hope you are able to find a decent outside job again real
soon.
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

Donna Metler wrote in :

Kind of on the same note-rather than having to miss regularly for
prenatals and have my students have to adjust to a new teacher halfway
through the year, we decided that I should start staying home this fall
while pregnant, instead of waiting until the baby comes. That sounded
great in May, when I turned in my letter of intent. But now school starts
next week, and I'm already bored. I don't really have any friends who
don't work, at least during the school year, and while there are
playgroups and activities for mommys with babies, there aren't exactly
playgroups for fetuses! So, what kind of things can I do to keep myself
from going insane during these next few months, when I'm supposed to be
resting, avoiding stress, and preparing for the baby?

You could always try going along to some of them anyway. Or going to
some La Leche League meetings or something like that.

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three