I've been doing alot of soul searching these past few months. Actually, Craig and I have been talking ALOT lately about how our family life has changed as the kids have gotten older. So many activities to run to .... swimming, choir, piano, co-op, swim meets, book club, mom's night out, pro-life meetings, etc., etc., etc.
I miss the days of just watching the girls dance to music after dinner. I miss the days of sitting in front of the house while watching the kids roller skate and on their bikes.
I understand that as kids get older, life gets busier. But I think that somehow, Craig and I lost the reins and the activities have become like a run away horse buggy.
And so we've been talking and praying and talking and praying.
The girls and I have been going to daily mass since about February and that has really changed the rhythm of our days. I now get up early. I can't believe it!!! I never thought I would be getting up voluntarily at 6:30am. My goal is to push it back to 6am and eventually 5:30am by September. But, with that early wake up time comes early bed times!!
Some things are a priority like mass, school and piano. I think everything else can pretty much go on the chopping block. And so the chopping has begun. I have been part of a discussion group for over a year now. We meet at Olive Garden to discuss home management(HomeAdvantage) and glean wisdom/tips from each other. While I've learned alot from the other ladies, I've also decided to step back from this group. It can be more social than instructive at times. ;-)
And because I've joined the Gabriel Project at our church, something had to give. .
The next activity on the chopping block is ....... swimming. *wince*
Swimming has been a blessing but has also brought many caveats. Dinner HAS to be ready by 4pm so that my swimmers can digest and be ready to dive into the pool by 5:30pm. Swimming requires a heavy commitment of time (daily). Absences are unforgiving and show up in swim meet times. While Isabelle has LOVED it, she misses being home in the evenings (when Craig isn't working). She's tired in the mornings because bedtime is usually around 9pm (after showering, eating a snack and talking/praying/getting ready for bedtime). She misses hanging out, being read to, and enjoying slow, peaceful dinners. And I miss her.
After all, she's only 11!!!
And so, we're starting to re-evaluate everything we're doing. Because activities can be the same as clutter in a house. If it goes unchecked, too much can come in through the front door and create havoc.
Ironically, because we're so busy swimming, we've lost our time to bike ride, roller skate, visit the YMCA for rock climbing and go on post dinner walks. When we lived in College Station we went on walks DAILY and even visited friends. In "the woods" our neighborhood was so beautiful and we loved walking in the evenings. We have yet to go on a family walk and we've been here over 2 years!!!
The chopping block is out. And we're cutting back.
I'm curious to hear from those of you who swam when you were young. At what age did you start and how often did you swim? I'm thinking maybe we just need a break from year-round swimming until she's a little older. Time to regroup. A year or three to enjoy being young.
I think I'll start re-reading my David Elkind books. ;-)
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I swam recreationally since I was big enough to put on floaties... but that was hours and hours in my Aunt's pool spent with my cousins. I didn't start swim team until the summer after 7th grade, and then I swam in the evenings maybe twice a week (can't remember). In high school I swam during the swim season and that was "hours" a day. The coach was into requiring a couple hours before school, more hours after school...and he just exhausted me. So, I only swam during the freshman year in HS. I discovered the requirements for cross country to be alot friendlier...and more fun...and just as healthy.
I swam for a wonderful coach my sophmore year of college. He kept practice down to less than 2 hours a day, and he worked on technique and form more than exhaustive work outs. I swam a lot better too! However, nursing school was also very demanding and I had to give up the team when my clinicals and working demanded all my time.
It might be easiest to allow her to swim, on her own, less often, at a time of day that's more convenient to you and doesn't interfer with dinner. Perhaps she can do a seasonal swim team and then swim on her own in the off season when you all can squeeze it in.
chop, chop, chop. My block is dusted and the cleaver is poised and ready! We have the same problem here. I have lost control... there are too many things going on and I need some rest before 12 is here and adding a little, sweet voice to the chaos we call life in a large family.
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