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Children, Family, Learning, Work

Things I don’t have time for

Smelly Socks and Garden Peas

What with all this home learning and working and the recent spate of regular running, I’ve found that its really hard to fit in all the things.

Add to this all the lovely kind people who are sharing extra bits and bobs that might “help” keep us occupied and I’m finding that I’m ignoring lots of things just to prevent myself from becoming overwhelmed with it all.

This is kind of an appreciation of the kind people who have tried to help support us, and kind of a rant because we are already overloaded and we really don’t need any more activities.

University Resources

My very lovely Dad sent me an email with a link to Online resources for families | Alumni (cam.ac.uk). I’m sure its marvellous but I haven’t even found the time to look through it.

Christmas Movie

An ex-colleague with older kids got nostalgic and sent me this Prep and Landing movie to watch with the kids. Nope only just got round to even Googling it.

Music

My amazing mum tagged me on Facebook, suggesting I could sign the boys up to some music sessions run by the Benedetti Foundation. Sorry Mum, no way I can squeeze that in either.

Magic

School ran a couple of extra Zoom sessions with a magic show. Large boy had seen it before, small boy wasn’t interested. So, yeah, no, not doing that either.

Dance Party

Oh for fuck’s sake PTA, in what world do we need more noise, bouncing, jumping and shouting? A Cosmic Dance Party is not necessary in this house.

Running

Yeah, I definitely have time for running itself. What I don’t have time for is absorbing the podcasts shared with me by a generous and supportive colleague. They’re at https://runwithus.podbean.com/ and I’m sure they’re very good but I run with music and there simply isn’t space in my days to sit and listen to something specific, much less concentrate and try to learn from it.

Why don’t you just….

These are the worst ones aren’t they? Sometimes someone asks me how things are and either they are just being polite and don’t really want to know, or they know fine well that the answer is unlikely to be very positive. They listen to a little moan about all the juggling and then try and be helpful. Usually, this begins “why don’t you just…” and might end with:

  • organise fewer hours with work
  • pick and choose which bits of school work to do
  • just let the kids do what they want
  • make sure you have time for self-care so you can decompress
  • ask school to do things differently
  • think how much worse it could be

None of those is actually practical or reasonable, for all sorts of reasons. Working fewer hours wouldn’t mean less work to do, we’re already skipping what school work we can, they do what they want most of the day and I am not asking the already-amazing-but-very-stressed teachers and TAs to adapt to just suit me. I do take time for self-care but that doesn’t change the reality of the situation. Lastly, I’m well aware of how lucky we are.

How about you?

What are you struggling to fit in? Tell me all about it and we can all feel put upon together.

Published by Smelly Socks and Garden Peas

Rants, rambles, loss, gin, guests, recipes, funny kids, occasional poems, and a bit of running.

54 thoughts on “Things I don’t have time for”

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  6. I can really relate to this post! Working from home and home-schooling take up so much time for me too. By the time both are finished for the day I’m exhausted. I do think some people get bored during lockdown, but I’m certainly not one of them. There always seems to be something that needs doing and I really don’t have time for anything extra x

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  7. I feel you on this! I make time for what I need time for and the rest just does not happen. Maybe it is not important, not something I am interested in, or just not happening. Either way, it is life.
    I enjoyed reading your lighthearted list and love that you share some of the ways other people suggest that you ‘make’ time. I get “think how much worse it could be” a lot . . . 🙂

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  8. I am the opposite – I have older children who don’t need my help with studying, less time spent travelling to get them places and a quieter business thanks to the pandemic … but it’s given me plenty of time to get new things done. Fingers crossed you find the time to do some of the things off your list.

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  9. So on the same level with not having the time for certain things. Frustrating as you don’t want some being let down or missing out but there isn’t enough time in the day. Your doing a grand job smell.

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  10. A former principal once said to me, “Every time you say ‘yes’ to something you’re saying ‘no’ to something else.” This had a profound impact on me. In general, my pet peeve time waster is mindless bureaucratic busywork. Great blog!

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  11. I love this! I struggle to tell people no, but then I am bitter. Lol. There are so many things that I don’t have time for, and watching videos someone suggests is a huge one! lol

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  13. I’m glad to hear you take time for self care, but you’re right – there are so many things we don’t have time for, and it can feel insensitive when someone tries to “simply” solve a struggle you’ve been dealing with. Thanks for sharing your story.

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  15. Great post! If I hear one more “Why don’t you just…” I think I may scream! The only thing that might be worse, is listening to everyone talk about how bored they are. I really wish I had the time to binge watch every show on Netflix, but I am busier now than I ever have been. Lockdown with kids is really hard and extremely busy. Thank you for sharing your experience, I was worried it was just me.

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  18. Must definitely be hard to balance it all out with your kids home studying too nowadays. A friend of mine who’s also a mom feels the same struggles of having so much on her plate nowadays too. Hugs

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  19. I love this post! I’m glad that you mentioned how frustrating it is when people say “why don’t you just…” When someone says that to me, it’s almost an insult. There are things I need to do, things I want to do, and things you want me to do- and there’s a HUGE difference. Thanks for sharing!

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  21. My energy levels/motivation just seem to be different each day depending on how much sleep/stressed I am. Sometimes I am on point and productive, sometimes I have to push through and sometimes I just don’t have the energy, and that’s okay. I’ve got enough serious things to contend with that if things suggested or sent to me fall by the wayside, I’m good with that. Loved reading this, found myself nodding along!

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  23. Reading! I’ve been wanting to read more but between daily life by the end of the day I’m already asleep when my head hits the pillow. Definitely been a struggle to get more reading time in

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  24. This is like my I don’t list post, I love the honesty. Sometimes there are just not enough hours to fit it all in and its about sifting out what is not a priority.

    But sometimes what doesn’t seem like a priority, is mainly because we are overlooking our needs. You should definitely make time for your podcasts x x

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    1. To be honest, I’m not that interested in the podcasts anyway. What I miss is music, I used to have BBC radio 6 on all day long and now I don’t listen at all so that I can hear if the kids call me. I miss discovering new artists and songs. My running play list is stagnant because I haven’t heard any new music in ages.

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  25. I feel the same sometimes, trying to fit in socially is really hard for me, I don’t want to go to the work Christmas do, as it’s miles away from work, I don’t want to mix with my colleagues at all, as some of them I don’t get on with at all, I just want to stay home and doing some sewing 🙂

    Nic | Nic’s Adventures & Bakes

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  26. I agree with you. People mean well but when you get to the end of the day…or even the middle of the day…it’s hard to find the energy to do one more thing…even connect with family on the phone or by text. I have been very demotivated this week. When the work day is done, I just want to do nothing. I’ll pay for it this weekend when I have to catch up on my course work and my blogging.

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  27. I feel this post highlights that there is just way too much information going about! I’ve felt this way about the amount of wellbeing content being shoved down my throat at work. There is so much going about that its impossible to digest.

    I also dislike the ‘solution culture’ people suggesting ‘why don’t you try this.. ‘ gets a bit irritating!

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  28. I take my hat off to any parents homeschooling and working. I’m still working full time from home while blogging and copy writing on the side. I’m struggling to fit it all in while also cleaning the house, making sure the DIY is done etc.
    I hope that the day that I have extra little beings in my house, I’ll be able to cope but wow!

    Rosie

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  30. Oh where to begin. There is so much I want to do, I have grand plans and get upset when I can’t even get to the first thing. I need to learn to… I don’t know… promise less xxx

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    1. Aww hon, the way you’re recovering getting up and dressed is a win. Going for a walk is a big achievement. Aim for the little pleasures. I intended to teach large boy to read music last Easter, still haven’t started and I’ve not had COVID.

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