As a mother of nine children, I constantly feel judgmental eyes on me. It's no wonder that everywhere we go as a family, I feel like we're the definition of spectacle. People tell me that I'm amazing and they can't imagine doing all that I'm able to get done. That's when my guilt spikes. You see, for the last couple of years, after I'd get the kids off to school, I'd sit on my couch sleeping or reading a book or simply watching my kids' TV shows with them. I knew, deep down inside, that I could actually do more than I was currently doing. Well, something snapped this last week. I determined to fix that trend.
Monday went well. None of my chidren needed me to run them forgotten items. No appointments or places to go. So, I buckled down and got my dishes done and my laundry started. When my children got home, I made them actually do some chores. My upstairs got vacuumed and mopped. My bathroom basics got scrubbed. Even the clutter seemed at a minimum as the night ended.
Tuesday was the test. My house was at the point it usually stayed. After the last child left for school, I sank down onto the couch. There wasn't much I HAD to do. After a few moments of staring at the wall, I physically made myself stand up. From that moment onward, I worked hard -- at a snail pace, but I worked. At the end of the day, I'd actually washed the sheets and bedding of my four youngest children and cleaned up my "hot spots." It was a long day. My children cleaned up the basement with my help. It was a very long day. My feet and back hurt. But, I felt good with what I'd achieved.
Today I didn't even sit down. I quickly did the "basics" then moved onto more mopping and vacuuming -- upstairs AND downstairs. I even did a little bit of a bathroom. I fixed one of James' posessions. I bathed my girls. Some of my kids cleaned out the car. And, there's still daylight left.
Tomorrow is Fall Break. Not the best week to try to set new habits, but we'll see. Just keep moving, just keep moving, just keep moving. . . .
I have been thinking the same thing lately. I only have 3, but its so easy to take long "breaks" most of the morning. I am trying to not turn on the TV at all during the day and have hid the facebook and pinterest apps on my phone. Thanks for sharing this, its inspiring me to keep going too!
ReplyDelete