This weekend I was talking with another blogger friend, Organic Sister. She and her husband and 10 year old son live a life of unschooling, traveling the country in a vintage Winnebago, looking for a place to lay down roots but also having a great time in the pursuit. While I can’t imagine only having one child, or living out of a Winnebago or traveling the country I found some unique similarities in our philosophy on life and I found myself drawn to the concept of unschooling (though I am not sure it will look the same for a family of multiple aged children). Anyway I called her because I needed help. I found myself getting more and more short tempered of late and I knew the atmosphere in the home was being affected.

Help Tara!

We went over the specifics of our schedule and daily life in the Doeun home and I realized (upon further reflection) that I was still adding things to our already jammed schedule trying to “do everything.” Tara gently reminded me that I just can’t “do everything,” some things have to give. I was familiar with the concept in the area of housekeeping. New mothers are often given the advice not to worry so much about cluttered tables and dirty dishes but in our case there was more going on.

I was trying to live the ideal (of mine) of no or little TV for my young children. That is now out the window. Granted they work and play hard in the morning out of doors and the girls at least often play all evening I knew I needed to allow some electronic entertainment into my home to buy me the peace and relaxation that I needed. I even upgraded our cable to include a variety of age apropriate channels so now at least I feel better about what they are watching (Hannah, Zack and Cody will have to wait until they are older).

Naps are now out. We do lie down and rest for about 1/2 hour after taking Proeun to work while we listen to a lullaby CD and Mavis gets a nap on the way home from the farm normally. Then I let the children get up to enjoy some electronic media and I take a solo nap or relax.

Dinners are sometimes boxed macaroni and cheese, though I do try to add at least carrot sticks and ranch dressing.

And Proeun I am sorry there may not be alot of pickles or canned tomatoes this year.

But finding the balance for our family is what it is all about–enjoying the children on a daily basis and making sure everyone feels important and nurtured, not an easy task to tackle.

So in the realm of the blog I am trying to stick with Monday, Wednesday and Friday posts with an occasionally Sunday thrown in. It is just one of those things I have to manage and balance.