Taking back my sanity

Perhaps I've been watching too much Dual Survival, but yesterday I decided my kids and I needed to have a little adventure. I was determined I would teach my kids to make a fire (with the motivation being s'mores at the end, obviously) so we collected tree branches, leaves and newspaper and our galvanized bucket and got to work. Being the trooper I am, I actually attempted the methods of rubbing two sticks together and using a knife and flint rock, to no avail. Meanwhile, as I was busy showing them the ropes, sweat pouring down my back, my children grabbed our bucket, turned on the faucet and played in the water.
Though we didn't make fire in the end, they had fun cooling off and we got our s'mores fix back in the house once we were all dried off. Today, with adventure fresh in mind, I had my hubby pull our tent out of cobwebs and it got quiet fast! I think the key to staying sane while staying home is maintaining that delicate balance between keeping your kids busy and allowing them to keep themselves busy for a while. How many times have you attempted writing an e-mail, paying bills or making a phone call only to hear a loud crash and screaming the second you walk away?? Too many to count. Gone is the luxury of using the restroom with the door closed! That's what crazy women do!
Finding quiet time is not as easy as suggesting your children go play quietly or read a book. Unless they are older and more self-sufficient, they usually want you to play with them, read to them or just be there...my son is scaling the kitchen chair right now to get to my lap, for example.
So the tent was put up. Sometimes you have to use a little ingenuity and trick your kids into submission. I loaded the tent with books, toys, a couple chairs, snacks and their sleeping bags and guess what? They didn't seem to notice that these are all the SAME things they normally have lying around, the tent just makes it fun and different.
So grab one yourself and set that sucker up in your living room. If you don't have a tent, you can fashion a mean fort out of blankets and chairs. And hey, while your kids are busy, sit down! Read a book or do your toenails! Maybe hit the treadmill like I plan to...I said maybe. But enjoy that quiet and don't feel guilty for doing so. While those bills call out to be paid, the chores pile up and laundry demands to be done, there's one more thing a little more important. Your sanity. Take it back.

Water play (pre- jumping in the bucket fully clothed!)

Chillin' in the tent

Yes, it takes up our entire living room