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I recently moved and I have adapted our spare bedroom into my very own stampin' room! It is great with 2 big tables and lots of storage. Now, if I could only find the time to actually get something DONE in there! I have a 2 1/2 year old at home and an 11 year old at school. All day seems to be a juggle with the toddler and then my son comes home and I am trying to give him attention while wrestling with my toddler, then they go to bed and I turn around and my husband is there: "Aren't you going to spend some time with me?" To which I want to say, most days: "Nooooooooo!!!"
So, how do I balance my life without ignoring the rest of the clan and still have 'me' time to do what I love?
ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Mo
P.S. Not sleeping is not an option...I found out the hard way! :shock:
__________________ MadeByMo
"Say what you mean and be who you are because those who matter, don't mind, and those who mind, don't matter." Dr. Seuss
I hear ya!! I have a 6-year-old in kindergarten and 19 month old twins. Thankfully the twins still take a nap during which time I try to fit in stamping (in between loads of laundry, dishes and everything else!). I also try "daddy time" on the weekends. Even if only for a couple hours. My husband either takes the kids somewhere or is responsible for entertaining them so I can stamp! That usually only happens once or twice a month instead of weekly like I would like
Hmmmm, such serious answers. I was expecting the responses to be something along the lines of - the kids get ignored, the house doesn't get cleaned, the family eats out - at least that is what use to happen around here. It still does sometimes (I'm sure there is something that I could be cleaning right now ) Now that my kids are older I sure do wish I had a little one to distract me sometimes. Enjoy it while you can!
__________________ Darla
Cinderella is proof that shoes can change a girl's life!
The Stone Age didn't end because they ran out of stones.
Do any of your local churches have a Mom's Day Out? If so, you could let the baby visit there for a couple of hours each week and give yourself a time.....just for yourself!.....a quiet time to stamp.
The kids get ingnored, the house doesn't get cleaned, the family eats out :lol: . I do a little housework in the morning, fit what I can in as far as stamping in the afternoon between feeding and entertaining the kids, dinner, more stamping where possible, general clean-up before bed and then when the kids are in bed, I try to squeeze in a little more stamping time. I HAVE to stamp everyday, or I go nuts. There just happens to be a mountain of dirty dishes on the counter and the kitchen floor didn't get swept or mopped today (on the list), but I'm heading for the stamps. My hubby knows not to bug me in the evenings because I'm drained by the time he gets home at 8 or 9 pm, after he's been gone for 10 or 12 hours. He doesn't go to work until 10 or 11 in the mornings, so we cathc up with each other in the mornings.
__________________ Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. -Faith Whittlesey
I have a very nice stamping room, but I prefer to leave my stuff on the kitchen table. I solved my issue by donating all my non SU cardstock and supplies that I dont use to my kids. They are usually making cards and stuff with me. My son really likes the wheel with the motorcycle tread on it. I wish I could get a paper trimmer that was safer for the kiddos to use. I would give the 2 1/2 yo some kid scissors and pens and a glue stick, let him cut and paste some stuff. My kids are 7 and 5 now. They have known from the beginning which stampin items are off limits. My DD always says "My mom will not share her $120 markers with anyone under 21" Then her friends laugh and count how many years that it will be until they can use them.
I have an agreement with my DH on monday nights he plays basketball at the church for several hours and then I get a night out (stamping) to myself. I have a 3 and 4 yr old girls ,7 yr son ,12 yr daughter ,17 son, and 22 yr son. While the older ones are at school and small ones napping I stamp or visit here . Then I try to multi task start laundry, dishes ect. during the day with them hanging on my legs I see that as my work out (like having on leg weights)lol :shock: :lol: . The key I've found is have your stuff easily accessable(by you) when I had to dig it all out it was hard to use it ,just too much work .
Actually, that is a big reason why I started doing workshops, so I had to MAKE myself find the time. I do one workshop a week for fun, and another to pay the maid to clean my house :lol:
__________________
Milette
The dreamers of the day are dangerous people,For they dream their dreams with open eyes,And make them come true.- D.H. Lawrence
I hate to tell you young moms this but WAIT UNTIL YOU RETIRE!!!!! Would you believe all I did today was read a book???? I have my February cards made so didn't have any of that to do. Now don't throw things, just look forward a few years
At least once a month, I pack up my cropper hopper and take the kids out to lunch or dinner at McDonald's. The kids can play for as long as they want after they eat and I stamp. It takes a little planning, but it works out great......kids are happy, mommy is happy.
The only way I can get any stamping done with my kids around (they just turned 5 and 3) is to give them playdough or my old non-SU stamps and let them play with me. I have found that my 3 year old will stay occupied for at least 45 minutes doing her own stamping - if I get to play and she doesn't, she's always right there at my side saying, "Mommy, whaddya doin'? Mommy, Mommy, Mommy...." But if I let her do what I am doing too, we are both happy.
I have just had to decide that I am going to spend at least one night a week stamping or scrapbooking. Actually, my husband says he is glad I take the time to do that. He has things he likes to do that takes him away from the house during "family time", and I am glad he takes time for himself too. We are all happiest when we feel like we have family time and "me time." Our husbands are too. Just decide on the night, and stamp!
I can understand a bit of your dilemma. I was working a full-time job when I started stamping and my daughters were in their teens.......and not a moment to myself. Every time I wanted to go into my room to stamp and listen to my music, one or both followed. Sometimes with talk of their day or to complain about someone....I would give them each an hour if they needed it, some days they only needed a minute or two, then I would have my time.
My DH said he missed me and we made a time before bed and after the kids were in bed, we shut off the tv and have that time together to talk over the day and catch up on the kids and everything else before we fell alseep.
I needed more space so I changed our spare room into my craft room and would close the door to come and stamp. When the door was closed they knew that it was my quiet time away from all the daily stuff. And we had an agreement that I needed some time for me......
as DR. Phil says "If mama isn't happy, nobody is happy"
I use to take a long bath to get some away time but found stamping was so much more fun than having the wrinkles and playing with bubbles.
You need to take time for what you like to do and then you can share yourself with the family and everyone is happy.
__________________ LeAne SCS#2819 & Grandma to Lindsey! [email protected]
Location: I'm a member of the divine secret sister witness protection program!
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I don't have kids of my own... but my bf has a 2 1/2 year old... we both work full time so stamping during the day isn't a thing for me. When I'm at his house, for the time being my work space is the kitchen table... so yep.. I'm right there out in the open. Sam (the 2 1/2 year old) is autistic... so yes.. you can only imagine the challenges... but anyway... I have found I can put him in the high chair.. hand him some stamps and paper and WASHABLE ink... he has fun and I get some work done.
__________________ Hi..my name is Anne... I'm a stampaholic.
SCS member #16986
Now that my kids are in college and moved out for at least most of the year, I am so glad I have stamping to ease my empty nest syndrome...I can stamp anytime now!
:P
When my kids were little, though, a group of us got together twice a month and hired a highschooler or two to babysit downstairs while we were stamping upstairs. It was heaven!
Have your children join you. I have a little desk for my 3 yr old DS and a table area for my 6 yr old DD in the same room. They both stamp, use punches & glue sticks, scissors, chalk (old ones), play with buttons, etc. and I can get a lot of stamping done.
~Kelly~
Do you know anyone w/kids around the same age that you could trade off with? You keep their kid(s) for a couple hours one day a week and they keep yours a couple hours another day. My 6 yr old is in half day kindergarten and 2 friends and I trade off on Fridays so I have 3 kids here after school every third week and have the afternoon free for two weeks. I hope that makes sense-it was very wordy for a simple concept!
Do you know anyone w/kids around the same age that you could trade off with? You keep their kid(s) for a couple hours one day a week and they keep yours a couple hours another day. My 6 yr old is in half day kindergarten and 2 friends and I trade off on Fridays so I have 3 kids here after school every third week and have the afternoon free for two weeks. I hope that makes sense-it was very wordy for a simple concept!
You really just have to make time I think. I work a 50 hour/week full time job, I have two children under the age of 4 and a house to keep, dinners to cook, errands to run, workshops, ...etc...
I get home around 6:30 PM and we get the kids to bed usually by 8PM. Then hubby and me eat dinner. Some nights I do laundry, some I do house cleaning and some I stamp! But I always carve out at least three hours on the weekend to stamp. I think subconsciously one of the big reasons I became a demo is because then I would "have" to stamp! ha ha ...
Honestly though, I do think it's like anything else and you just have to make the time for it.
It's not always easy but for me it's very relaxing and it's my only "hobby" so I don't feel guilty about a few hours a week for myself and neither should anybody else. We all work hard after all!
I found when mine were young that if I involved them that they would sit quietly for a while. I would give them stickers and cheap paper and tell them they could make their own cards and decorate the paper. For a 2 1/2 year old, washable paints would probably work best!
As they get older, have playdates -- keep them in eyesight, but they will play with each other and you can stamp a bit.
In the evenings, I just pull together some stamping things and sit in the same room as my DH -- we can have conversations while I stamp and he does his thing on his laptop. He doesn't feel as neglected that way!
I have a 16 month old ds, 5 year old dd and a ds that is almost 9. During the day my toddler does not allow me to stamp. My dd is not in Kindergarten yet but I can give her stuff of her own and it keeps her occupied. My oldest boy doesn't seem to be a distraction. My dh works nights and leaves at 8:00. By the time I get my kids to bed and dh is gone all I want to do is sit down and do nothing. But have some friends that come over once a week and we stamp. So even if it's a small fix I at least get a fix. Since I am a demo I decided to schedule extra workshop events this month so that I 'HAVE' to stamp. Plus I have a stampers club each month. Also, join a swap. That makes you "HAVE" to stamp.
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
I have a 23 month old and I would have to agree with others in that I stamp a little when he naps or I give him some stuff to play with and he joins me. I have tried stamping and giving him something to play with but he always try to climb on my lap. Also hubby gives him a bath and I sometimes stamp then..
It is hard work though, before I stopped work to be a SAHM I thought "Oh it will be lovely I can stamp all day" LOL little did I know.
I also run a stamp club so once a month I hire a hall, have 16 stamping friends/members and stamp for 3 hours!
I don't know since I am in the same boat! DD is in preschool 3 days during which time I thought I would stamp, but it ends up being time to get DS fed, changed, floor time, and down for nap and then back to pick her up from preschool! Never enough time for me to get stuff out and play and back again!
Can I just add that it just drives me nuts that my sister has a ton of free time now that her youngest went off to college and she still tells me she never has time to do any crafts?! No kids at home, hubby is very self sufficient and dinner done and cleaned up by 7, she has so much free time, LOL!
angie
I am lucky in that where I live we have 2 stamp/paper craft stores and I used to work at one, sort of word of mouth from people who attended my classes there.
My friend had a similar problem. She has a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Her husband used to complain when she wanted to come over to crop/stamp. He finally figured out that she came home in a much better mood and felt much better. He time with the family was improved. She pointed out that the kids also got some much needed "daddy" time (he works night shift 45-50 hours as week). She tries to give him one day free to do what he wants. Now, if she is in a bad mood, he actually suggests that she go scrapbook/stamp. If it makes you happy and relaxes you then it's worth it to make time.
I have my stamp stuff in a corner of the basement, an island of sanity in the ocean of toys! My 3 year old DD has a table next to mine where she stamps with me (on cheap paper!). I do let her use my stamps (life's too short!) but that doesn't seem to be a problem now that I got her some cheapo $1 stamps. I also have a spot RIGHT NEXT TO ME on the table that if she has the need to be really close (don't they all!) she can stand on her chair and "help" Mommy.
The best has been the twinkling H20's. I got her some cheapo aqua painters and let her go to town with the little pots. They seem indistructable and satisfy her.
None of this worked until she was about 2 1/4 though. Also, I remember what someone told me, that if I can put up with the whining for 20 minutes (I want to watch tv, have chocolate, sit on your lap while you stamp waaa waaa waaa) while I say "no" eventually the kids give up and go play. :twisted:
But then my husband want me to "spend time with him" which usually means "sit on the coach and watch tv with me." Is there nothing more terrible than listening to the lonely calling of your stamping space while watching something stupid on TV?
I don't think my post went through when I said: "Y'all rock!!!" Thanks SO much for the insight and the sanity (well - related INsanity sanity! :shock: )
I have much to go with now. I think I will start with stamping with one set at a time when I can't be in my 'scrap room'.
I hope your days are filled with happy kids, understanding husbands, and JUST the idea you were looking for!!
Cheers!!
__________________ MadeByMo
"Say what you mean and be who you are because those who matter, don't mind, and those who mind, don't matter." Dr. Seuss
I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 1 year old. I set up my stamping table in the living room and put on DISNEY. Then, I give her a pair of dull scissors and her own stamps. It works for a while. But I have to be in the same room with her or she abandons her movie....
Where do you find the time? I want it!!
