It's good, it's bad . . . often at the same time.
How can someone be busy and bored at the same time?
How is it possible to be constantly surrounded by others - never alone - but still be lonely and feel isolated?
That's what a lot of stay-at-home parents go through every day.
I hear from parents who say, "I love my kids so much and I'm so grateful to be home with them, so how come I'm so depressed?"
It's the roller coaster of parenting. One minute it's great! It's a dream come true! It's what I always wanted to do!
Five minutes later - I'm bored. I can't seem to get anything done. I wish I could just get out of the house. I wish I had someone to talk to.
Being a stay-at-home parent requires a balance and it doesn't come naturally. You have to build it, orchestrate it, plan it.
Spend part of the morning doing a little bit of housework and then put together puzzles with the kids. Make lunch, put the baby down for a nap and read a book for a half hour. Walk the kids to the park, go to playgroup, bake cookies, fold some clothes, start dinner, sing karaoke with the kids, pay a few bills, call a friend.
Okay, so it's not Madison Avenue. But it's not so unfulfilling, either.
Striking that balance among quality time with the kids, housework, your own need for private time and the need for all of you to have social time is not easy, but important to work toward.
Read Michelle Carchrae's article on Parent Isolation and find help on how to start a playgroup to benefit yourself and your kids in Starting a Playgroup.
