Self discipline
I'm now two weeks and two days closer to my dream of staying home with my babies!!! Even though it seems the days are dragging, I know, it will be here before I know it. I've been mentally preparing myself for the self discipline I know I'm going to need once I am at home full time. After working 12+ years of our marriage, I know it would be so easy to become a couch potato, an Internet junky, a TV bug, etc. etc. After all, instead of having a few precious minutes to clean house (or all those other wonderful motherly/house-wifey chores), I will have all day. I'm not crazy - I see how easy it will be to allow myself the luxury of staying in bed, or other fun things.
Let me first explain one thing: I'm married to a Mr. Command (taken from Created to Be His Help Meet). I love my Mr. Command dearly. He's a wonderful provider, a great father, and loves God. What more could a girl ask for? He says that he knows there will be days the house won't be clean, dinner won't be ready, and the kids will all be screaming. He's right. There will be those days. But he's the type of guy that can excuse one day. Day two of this scenario won't set well with him. He likes to see things done - whatever the goal is for the day, he will accomplish it and expects the same for those around him. So as you can see, I'm very much aware that I could get by with a day or two of enjoying life, but then I'll have to face the reality of it all.
I'm trying to gain back some of the ground I've lost over the past three years. Since I've had Elijah, I know my house doesn't stay spotless like it used to. (I've even had people make comments something like "wow, your house actually gets dirty?") My laundry doesn't stay caught up. It's pretty common to see a mountain of clean laundry sitting at the dining room table. And the list goes on and on. So how do I gain back this ground without feeling like I'm working non-stop? Besides - I'm pregnant - and really don't feel like just killing myself with extra work.
I've decided to go back to some of the FLYlady basics. I have used her techniques in the past and had remarkable results. I let it go because, believe it or not, I tend to be a perfectionist. If I miss a mission, I think I've got to get it caught up the next day. If I don't get the zone completely cleaned, then I try to cover two zones at once. All the perfectionist things that FlyLady tells you NOT to do. Ugh. So I've got my daily checklist of chores. Last night I wasn't able to complete everything on the list, but I'm telling myself that it's okay. Move on. Today is a new day.
What other techniques and suggestions are there? I'm open for improvement. Yes, I know that I won't be a perfect housewife - that's not my goal. My goal is to simply stay on top of the basics.
Let me first explain one thing: I'm married to a Mr. Command (taken from Created to Be His Help Meet). I love my Mr. Command dearly. He's a wonderful provider, a great father, and loves God. What more could a girl ask for? He says that he knows there will be days the house won't be clean, dinner won't be ready, and the kids will all be screaming. He's right. There will be those days. But he's the type of guy that can excuse one day. Day two of this scenario won't set well with him. He likes to see things done - whatever the goal is for the day, he will accomplish it and expects the same for those around him. So as you can see, I'm very much aware that I could get by with a day or two of enjoying life, but then I'll have to face the reality of it all.
I'm trying to gain back some of the ground I've lost over the past three years. Since I've had Elijah, I know my house doesn't stay spotless like it used to. (I've even had people make comments something like "wow, your house actually gets dirty?") My laundry doesn't stay caught up. It's pretty common to see a mountain of clean laundry sitting at the dining room table. And the list goes on and on. So how do I gain back this ground without feeling like I'm working non-stop? Besides - I'm pregnant - and really don't feel like just killing myself with extra work.
I've decided to go back to some of the FLYlady basics. I have used her techniques in the past and had remarkable results. I let it go because, believe it or not, I tend to be a perfectionist. If I miss a mission, I think I've got to get it caught up the next day. If I don't get the zone completely cleaned, then I try to cover two zones at once. All the perfectionist things that FlyLady tells you NOT to do. Ugh. So I've got my daily checklist of chores. Last night I wasn't able to complete everything on the list, but I'm telling myself that it's okay. Move on. Today is a new day.
What other techniques and suggestions are there? I'm open for improvement. Yes, I know that I won't be a perfect housewife - that's not my goal. My goal is to simply stay on top of the basics.
Comments
You will be surprised how time will fly when you are at home and you won't be able to be a TV, Internet or video game couch potato. I know it's an old adage, but raising children is a full time job. Minus the pay check.
Don't get me wrong, it's well worth the financial sacrifice, but anybody who expects a house full of love to stay neat as a pin needs to plant a video camera to capture the action!