when summer routine changes how do you find time for grocery shopping, cleaning, etc?

[imgoingtodisney]

During the school year I have Wed mornings from when DS gets on the bus at 715 off until I go to work at 130. Every other wk I food shop, every other week is for cleaning house.
This aint gonna happen starting next week. I will have 3 Mons during the summer when DS is in camp.
I work 930-5 Tu, W, Th & Fri outside the house.
How do you schedule the cleaning, food shopping, etc?

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I learn to work trips to the library around storytime(aka attack of the little people only kidding)

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Well - I have 3 kids ages 12, 9, and 5 months.

The 12 year old inhales all the food in the house every 3 days or so and they and all their friends tend to make things look like that house in Twister that got turned upside down in the middle of the road......

Shopping every other week and cleaning every other week sounds a bit like a vacation to me! :lol:

 

[kejoda]

Your lucky TF. Sometimes the food goes directly to the bags to the mouths. Heck I feel lucky if I can get food in the house. I can not tell you how many times they taken it from the car and ate it there. As for cleaning whats that?

 

[nativetxn]

You clean?

 

[Kaos Creator]

Don't know history on your son, but does he not ever just play by himself with his toys or something? Or set him up with the playdoh while you clean? Or make that a play date morning? Or... or.....
If mothers could never get anything done because of their kids, no one's house would ever be clean and we would all live on take out! Grocery shopping with a kid is easy - stick them in the cart and wheel them around. Cleaning is easy too - give them a rag and tell them to dust. Honestly have to say this is the first time I have heard of someone not being able to clean or shop because they have a child! Maybe there is some special circumstances with your son that I am not aware of (like he is special needs and in a wheel chair or something), but if he is a happy and active child, I don't see why he can't entertain himself for an hour or so a week while you clean. My D is 7, I am a single mother, and I don't ever recall having that problem. She liked to help, and if she didn't feel like it - time for sesame street!

 

[Mishetta]

Wow! I'm jealous of Chaos Creator!! I also have a 7 y/o who needs constant supervision due to him being ADHD. My 18 month old is easier than my 7 y/o DS!

The only time I get to clean is when my 18 month old is napping & my 7 y/o is at the neighbor's house (I try to time that). First nap & 7 y/o's neighbor playtime I'm cleaning & the 2nd nap & 7 y/o's other neighbor playtime, I'm getting dinner ready. If my baby doesn't nap or the 7 y/o doesn't make it to a playdate, we're having take out or pizza!

I must admit though, my 7 y/o is finally able to sit in front of the TV for about an hour without completely destroying my familyroom so I do try to rush through getting the house picked up & some laundry done. I do most of my house cleaning & floor washing after 9pm when they've gone to bed!

Good luck! Sounds like you have a tough schedule.

 

[Kaos Creator]

I wouldn't be jealous of me. I have just always made her help with household chores (of course she isn't doing laundry or anthing major), but she is expected to help load/unload the dishwasher, dust, tidy up, make her own bed, etc....... I don't believe in giving kids a free ride and watching mommy do all the work -even if I do 90% of it, that 10% she does makes her feel good and puts a couple bucks a week in her piggy bank that is earned. I can't believe how many of her friends have NO chores at all!!!

 

[luvindisneyworld]

if i am not mistaken your son is about 10 or 11 years old.at that age he needs to be helping you,give him a dust cloth and let him dust then when gets done with that let him vacuum or something.i just dont see the problem f your son is that old

 

[jipsy]

Take him grocery shopping. Give him part of the grocery list (easy stuff within his reach and eye level) and help him read the aisle markers to know what to look for. His job is to find what is on his list.

I believe your son is now 10.9782638492. He's old enough to help around the house with the cleaning. If he cannot, he's at least old enough to entertain himself for a couple of hours. Make him a chore chart on the fridge and tell him that's just part of being the family. If you want to reward him, don't reward him for standard stuff; have an 'extra' job jar - he can pick a job (after his regular chores are through of course) and if he does that job, he gets the appropriate reward.

 

[Spinning]

Funny I took her post to mean something different...I find summer to be a total different routine from cleaning, laundry and food shopping. My kids are 5 and 7 they do help around the house, pick up and entertain their selves great. DS loves to go to the store with me and run around like that. But I find we just move at a different pace! We go to the pool kids have swim lessons, DD is on the dive team we meet up with more parents. More fun stuff that I do find we run out of food from lack of doing the shopping LOL! But luckily it is because we are having fun.
Then once I get into the summer grove BOOM! It is the fall and kids are back in school and I have to readjust all over again!
One nice thing if the weather is good the house stays clean!

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Spinning - thats definately more of what I was thinking.
Yes DS does lots of things by himself - tv, lately he's reading along w/the cassettes, PS2, etc. If he could he'd be in the house all summer watching tv!
Im trying to make a conscious effort to get him outside when I am home. I need to tell him to go out for a walk, take him to the fishing spot, etc. Hes not an outdoor active kid.
Just came home from food shopping at 8pm. Usually I would have saved this for a time when he was in school/camp/etc. But I can see the summer getting busier.
Yes, he does help around the house - dishwasher, washes down his shower, etc.

 

[Boo'sMom]

kids are portable...buckle them up and take them with you...

 

[aurora19]

For me - its my schedule that has to change. During the school year I work 4 - 5 hr days (not wens) but during the summer, I work 2 - 9 hr days (and the kids are with my parents) so I can no longer do my errands & me time on Wednesdays. (but DH & I will have a date nite every week )

My older son would also spend most of the day indoors if I let him - what I find is that if I'm outside, he is too. We've started taking bike rides together and he helps me with gardening. Of course we spend loads of days at the beach... Also all reading is done on the front porch.

FYI - our Playstation is only plugged in November-March.
It works for us.