Searching for Peace
We've had a very long week. Just as an example, we’ve had three days during
which we left the school carpool line to get to games followed by events after
the games. This meant that several nights this week have led to very late
bedtimes.
Consequently, my peacefulness...hmmm...I was going to say it had gone
somewhere but then I didn't remember really having much to begin with, but I
digress.
I'm looking for suggestions. When you walk in the door at 6, 7 and 8 PM with
four kids who need lunches packed, showers taken, and homework done and said
kids want to focus on these tasks about as much as they want to do them in the
first place, what do you do? How do you stay calm as their silliness, loudness
and all around craziness escalates?
How do you keep your family peaceful in the midst of your busy life?
Mind you, we've had a dinner planned every night so that's one victory. I
have no desire to resort to the fast food temptation. However, that's where my
preparedness ends for the dreaded after school to bed chunk of the day.
By the time I see Nelson, which is sometimes after all this has transpired,
I have a tendency to dump it all on him and trust me, after a ten hour day,
that's the last thing he wants to hear. So tonight I decided to dump on you.
How do you keep peace in your home from 3:15 until bedtime? I need some new
tricks.
posted by Amy Parris @ 10:03 PM
6 Comments:
I feel your pain, Amy. I realized in the last couple of years that the time between afternoon carpool and bedtime were my biggest "not at peace" hours. Which was strange because that was the only time of the day that I was with my kids when they weren't in school!
I totally lost it so many times because things did not go according to my "plan". My plan was always- walk in the door, make your lunch, go take your shower, hop in bed--without any complaints or messing around! It never happened! With so many children, there's just bound to be squabbles and distractions.
Our solution (which probably won't work for you at this point) was to home school, believe it or not. I really, really felt called to be with my children for more than 4-5 hours at night when we were all at our worst. So right now I am homeschooling all 6 kids. I have to say that the hours from 3-9 are better....but sometimes the hours from 8-3 are not.....
Good luck and hang in there! We have to struggle through each stage in life and I can feel God stretching me in ways I never could have imagined. I can only hope this is helping me gain wisdom and knowledge that will help me in the next stage, whatever that may be! :)
Can the kids work on homework en route to various activities? And although it means a later bedtime, maybe allow them 20 or so minutes to just play before getting back on task. I still make our lunches in the morning. It works for us.
We have six children and I can totally relate to this scenario. Most days are fine but Mondays and Wednesdays are just endurance marathons. I've recently rediscovered the benefit of crockpot dinners on these days. Whenever I'm on Pinterest and spot a crockpot recipe that looks tasty I just click print so I have them ready in advance. Having that meal cooking away all day is real peace of mind. If I think the children are going to be fractious when we get into the house I pause in the car before we go in and 'try' to give them a bit of a pep talk (read..dire warning lol)to try and get us all through. I have used gentle music in the background and a ban more than one source of sound at any one time since our eldest, now 16, was a tot. Noise definitely makes a stressful situation worse.
I remind myself that these days are fleeting and one day I'll miss them. Then pray for grace all day long.
In the midst of the struggles and the business, there is so much love. God is there.
Ladies, thank you all for your wisdom and thoughts. It's so nice just to know that my family is not an anomaly. Let's all offer it up and pray for each other when we have our moments. Maybe that will help us all.
I'm late to this, but still want to add my thought and that is - quiet. Along the same vein as Jennifer, but one step further. In a world where chaos, noise and constant stimulation are the norm, thus prompting your plea, silence is a luxury we do not grant (or force upon our offspring) ourselves often enough. Think of the Atrium and declare a fraction of the witching hours as quiet time - no music, tv, video games or unnecessary communication. For example, homework with no talking as age allows, silent table setting, lunch making, whatever you all would be doing in that time anyway, just quieter. Even if only 30 min I think you will be surprised at just how far a few minutes of quiet can go.
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