ME-TIME FOR MOMS (cont'd)

"I don't think any of them really understand," Kendra says, "although we joke about it occasionally. In fact, we have a standard joke about March Madness - not the basketball games, but the time of year when ‘Mommy loses it’ much easier than at other times. The lack of daylight plus the middle of winter school blues combine to make this month extra hard for me, so
rather than get upset all of the time, I joke about it with them. It doesn't change the facts, but it does help me cope with it.

"I try to let new homeschooling mothers know this side of homeschooling, along with the good parts. Moms who homeschool are normally around their children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is great having my children home and I wouldn't trade it, but there are times when it would be nice to have that break." Kendra figures that, outside of going to church, two or
three months can zip by before she gets a chance to treat herself to some well-deserved downtime. "If new homeschooling moms could begin with having the break built in, it would be so much better for them," she says.

Dad often holds the key to maintaining Mom’s sanity. "I know one family where the father had Mondays off," Kendra says. "He stayed home with the children that day and did the schooling, and the mom did whatever she wanted to for the entire day. I know most men can't do that," she admits, "but even just part of that day would be great."

*****

It’s tough to be a good mom or dad when you’re so wiped out, you have nothing to give to your family. What are some things you do to recharge your batteries and rejuvenate your love of at-home parenting?

Write Cheryl at homebodies@comcast.net, and we’ll share some ideas in an upcoming issue of Homebodies.

Cheryl Gochnauer is the author of "So You Want to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom" and "Stay-at-Home Handbook", both of which are available in libraries, bookstores and online. You can contact her at homebodies@comcast.net.