I have trouble sticking to a schedule of any kind. I try making household cleaning schedules, school schedules and such. I make beautiful schedules and sometimes actually stay with them for a week or so and then we tend to stray. What is my problem? I kept saying it was because of real life or my health (I've been sick for months). When I really thought about this today I decided it was just my laziness. Do you have any suggestions for me. I think if I could force myself to take a shower at night then I might be able to get up early enough to wake up, eat, make beds, and get ready. Then, I would be ready to face the day in an organized way. I just cannot make myself take a nightly shower. I'm too tired. Right now I am typing on my laptop in bed. I was too tired to sit up at the desk in the playroom. Sad, huh? We manage to have a good day usually and get all of our work done. BUT, I still don't have lots of time to clean, plan lessons, cook, or just play with my kids. What can I do here???
I have been told by veteran HS'ers (as in, much longer than I have...I keep forgetting that I'm considered a "veteran" now, LOL!) that either school is going great and the house is a mess, or the house looks great and school is sliding. It sometimes seem you can't do both. Well, that sure seems true in MY case!!! I was complaining to DH just yesterday that we're "so behind" in both history and science, and I REALLY NEED to get those books finished this year!!! I'm not a scheduled person. I've tried to write out plans (thank God I don't live in a state that requires them!!!), but just can't. Life keeps interfering!!! I've tried check lists, lists in general, etc. NOTHING works for me yet!!! So I've pretty much learned to just not sweat it! We're usually up at 6, and starting school between 7:15 and 7:30. As much as I'm not a morning person, that really helps. We get a lot accomplished before all those interruptions come in. I looked at next week, and we have a "planned" interruption every day but Friday!!! I've warned the children that they are going to HAVE to do work in the evenings if we're to accomplish anything!
The kids (especially my ds who is not a a.m. person) do pretty good work in the afternoons. I should try a week of morning chores and cleaning stuff and do more school work in the afternoons. Wonder how that would work? I think you are right. When I am feeling good about the house then I usually feel we are lacking in something in school and vice versa. I guess I just need to get on the stick is what it's all about.
I get up and make my bed when my feet touch the floor. That way that is done and out of the way. Then I start a load of laundry next. Then take care of our breakfast. I usually do any dishes at this point too that are left from the night before. I take some time one night a week to plan out a few days but I don't overload because after 7 years of hs I realize making too tough of a schedule something will happen and mess it up. As far as the house I have to work some nights after everyone else is in the bed doing chores.
Missy, is your health okay? You said you've been sick for months. Don't push yourself or stress over the house. Cleaning will always be there- you will be 90 and something will need wiping. Focus on what really needs to be accomplished-school, I would say- and get to the rest as you can. Take care of your health.
It's interesting to note here that the teachers over at atoz frequently post about this same issue. They don't have much time, either, and they're juggling just like we do. To me, they have it worse because there's so much more on them.
I really think that focusing on your health is most important, I was so sleepy and never feeling good for a long time before being diagnosed with diabetes, once my body got adjusted to the medication I really started feeling better, which was good for the kids because I would constantly tell them "not now guys I don't feel well".
We have all been sick since September. The kids get colds/strep/pnuemonia and then get better. But, within a week they are sick again. I have been the same way but I never fully get well. I just told dh last night that I've had a sore throat for a week and my sinus pressure is really bad right now. Every morning I get up my eyes have crud in them and they are puffy. It takes me a long time to feel better once I get up. It may be allergies, a cold or a sinus infection. I know I have something else going on just don't know what. I had uveitis two years ago and it usually stems from something more serious. We haven't figured out what yet. I also have back pain and intestinal issues that are not resolved. I am just plan tired of not feeling well. I really try not to overdo it for that reason. I try to rest after nine p.m. and not do too much housework then. I feel best around 11am to about 2pm so I try to get clothes washed and kitchen cleaned and such then if at all possible. I know what you all will say. Go to the doctor. The problem is that I have no sitter and dh is always working during normal doctor hours. I keep telling myself that if I get worse (fever, severe pain, etc) then I will make him take off. He's a problem. He just opened a new office out of state so atleast twice a week or more he's out of town. They just puts more work on me. He also doesn't help at all around the house.
Oh, Missy!!! Then PLEASE don't fret over schedules!!! Do what you can when you can. Your kids aren't going to be ignorant for life simply because they missed a few math lessons! And I don't know of anyone who has died yet because the sweeper wasn't run every day. Do what you can, but put most of your concentration on getting better. If it means sleeping in later and not having breakfast until 10:00, THAT'S OK!!!
Yes Missy, I agree with Jackie! I also know what you mean about ever getting to the doctor. I really need to get in and do that, but what do I do with the kids?! I don't have anyone that can watch them and my oldest is just not the "babysitting type". so I just don't go to the doctor, unless it's for one of the kids! It's a little frustrating, cuz I'd LIKE to do this and get it overwith but......... I'll pray for you Missy, you're much worse off than I am! If we lived closer I'd certainly watch your kids so you can go in and get that stuff checked!!!
Take the kids with you. I have taken mine and given them something to write or copy and they do fine. I take them in the room with me and tell them to sit in the floor and do their work. It usually works fine and no one ever says anything to me about it.
Missy, what is uveitis? If you have been with the doctor for some time, maybe the girls in the office would let them stay there during your exam? You might have to go at the end of the day, but at least you'd get there. Great grief, women! Your kids can't be that misbehaved that you won't go to the doctor!! It is hard and I understand completely, though. When my husband was on swing shift it was so hard to get appointments that coincided with his schedule.
Just for the record, I have never put making my bed or any bed for that matter, at the top of my to-do list. I can't even remember the last time I made my bed to be honest. The way I see it, nobody but me and my hubby see our bedroom so why bother when we are going to use it that night anyways? Don't fret over making the bed!
Our house stay pretty neat, but I feel the nitty gritty cleaning is slacking. It has to be pretty neat or I really, really get depressed. So, I just need to work on a schedule for daily cleaning. I don't have too many visitors so I don't worry too much about it but I like a clean house. I have thought about taking the kids with me to the doctor. I think if it comes to that I'll throw a fit and dh will have to take off! When I had uveitis (eye condition where you are putting drops in your eyes every two hrs and it makes everything completely blurry), dh did help out. He was forced to since I couldn't hardly do anything. That condition is bad because you can go blind if it isn't controlled. I had it for about four months total! Not fun!!! I hope I never get it again, but it is likely that I will. Now, I really think I'm having a thyroid problem. I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism. I have been tested several times for it in the past five years but it has never been below the cut off (close but not a winner). I just want to feel better. Oh, I guess I keep thinking that if I am organized and have really good schedules then I can get more done ( and in turn I'll feel better in general).
My bed is made every day, before I leave the room in the morning. BUT it's super-easy to make. All it has on it is a sheet and a down comforter. It takes me about a minute and a half to pull them both up. And besides, I can't make my kids do it if mine isn't done.
Missy... I completely understand..I like schedules! They give me a sense of balance and a direction of where to go. BUT like anything else they are our slaves not taskmasters! I say *have a schedule* but make one DOABLE.:angel: If my house is not somewhat straightened up, it does bother me. I can't help it, it's the way I'm *wired*. So since I know this about myself, I have to accomodate it. I have one friend who is not a morning person, neither is her daughter or husband for that fact. The whole family leaves the house at 9:00 p.m. to go get a movie video. Well thats almost getting to the middle of the night for me. LOL. They start their school everyday no earlier than about 1:00 p.m. Your kids are really still very young--you will have time to do so much as you feel better and they get older. I would try to get done in the morning what made you feel better, but I would set a more realistic time for starting school like 11:00 a.m. Then break for lunch, then finish up in the afternoon. Take your mornings slow, make your bed, eat, straighten your house and take care of yourself. That way for your peace of mind, you are sticking to some sort of schedule, but you still are being patient with yourself since you have been so sick. It's hard to remember this sometimes when you are going through hard times, but each school year WILL BE DIFFERENT. Some years we feel we are close to graduating (LOL)-other years I've wondered about my organization and teaching if i was on planet earth.:roll: I find for a cleaning schedule that taken off one day(for me Monday) it allows me that time to use the day to get some of that nitty gritty cleaning done for the week. NO SCHOOL. I can concentrate ALL day on taking it slow. Too I concentrate on cleaning what takes more time--like scrubbing tubs and showers and washing perma press clothes like church clothes and mopping. So on the other mornings, the day to day of beds and vaccuuming doesn't become hard. I wash a load of clothes (ONE) each day after that. They are jeans, towels and play clothes. If the clothes are wrinkled, it doesn't matter so much. The nice clothes I cleaned on Monday--when I'm not rushed and can check them more often. Also, i use to have *a theme day* for each day of the week cooking. Well that was too much for me. So I cook the same thing ONE time a week. MUCH EASIER. It happens to be on church night. I don't want to think that night! It's spaghetti night every week that night! Little things but they help in keeping me organized each week, w/out overdoing it and not enjoying life!
Missy, it sounds to me like you really need to get to the doctor. I thought of your thyroid as I read your posts, and I sense you're more concerned about your health than your house- which is how it should be. Load up a barrel of things the kids can do themselves, stuff they haven't used or seen in a long while. I forget how old your kids are, but how about a little CD player, too? I've done that with Jeannie and she's 5. How cool to have a CD player at that age! See if you can get an appointment when it's less full, if there is such a thing. You are not a single parent and your husband's requirements don't stop with bringing in the money. He's their father. If you're this sick, he needs to get his head out of the sand( or somewhere else, truly), put in for a day off and allow you to go to the doctor unencumbered. I bet he comes and goes as he pleases. Thyroid can do so much damage and I hate to see you suffer.
I can't stand to get into a bed that the covers are all about the bed. I want mine tucked under the mattress. My dear husband just wants the sheet pulled to the bottom of the bed and where his feet can poke out if he gets hot. I don't like that and if he makes the bed I do complain and fix my end of the bed under the mattress. LOL He laughs at me about it. For each their own.........
Carl never knew that you could tuck in the sheets and blankets until we were married. Then I started doing it, and he was amazed!!! (MEN!!!) The kids' beds drive me crazy. Phillip and Faythe both sleep in a top bunk now, and making them are next to impossible!!! Faythe's sheets wouldn't stay tucked in at bottom for ANYTHING, even the fitted sheets!!! I finally bought some elastic that you fit on to the sheets and stretch all across the bottom of the mattress...this has helped!
