Tonya

Hi, my name is Tonya. I have posted only a couple of times,but I
follow you guys faithfully every day.
I am having problems coping with everything right now and could use
some advice.
My four boys(9, 6, 3, and 1) are driving me crazy!!!
I am practically a single mom. My husband works offshore for 2 weeks
and is home 2 weeks out of the month. I handle everything from house
cleaning to paying bills etc. None of my boys have attended school
except my oldest from 5 to 6 and then I took him out.
My problem is that I have been unschooling for well over a year now
and while I DO see them learning everyday.And am very proud of there
acomplishments, i do have a problem with them not wanting to do
anything but watch TV and fight with each other.
I do expect a little help.I am so busy doing housework,cooking giving
the little ones what they need,and such, that I don't feel I am
spending enough time WITH them.
My two older ones are always screaming and fighting.The don't do
there simple chores when I ask and I just don't know what to do
anymore.
I would like more time WITH them,not just taking care of the daily
chores. I have no one to help babysit or anything like that while my
husband is gone so I can get more done.
I can't even go to the bathroom without having somone beat on my door
or someone screaming for me. I would like to have ocational time to
be myself on top of all this too.
If anyone has any advice on what I need to change abut this, Please
help me out, I would greatly appreciate it.
Tonya

wifetovegman2002

--- In [email protected], "Tonya"
<Tpowerwoman@a...> wrote:
>
> If anyone has any advice on what I need to change abut this, Please
> help me out, I would greatly appreciate it.
> Tonya


Tonya,

My husband works a lot too...sometimes 14-16 hours a day...for months
on end.

You need fresh air. You need to shake it up and shake it out.

So this is my suggestion. Declare a holiday. It should be at least a
week long. It could be when your DH is home, so he can enjoy it too
before heading back out, or when he is away if a bit of mess unnerves him.

Let the boys and Dad help you plan it all. Meal menus, where to go,
what to do.

Each day go someplace interesting and different.

Some Ideas (to springboard your own from):

Go to the rec center and swim, then come home and have a barbeque
(even if it is 20 degrees outside...burgers and fries and homemade
milk shakes).

Go to the zoo and come home and make animal masks and sleep in the
tent set up in the livingroom.

Have a ghost story night and read Edgar Allen Poe by candlelight and
pass around grapes in a bowl for eyeballs and spaghetti for guts.

Go to the museum and see the art gallery, then come home and paint
your own masterpieces and hang them on the walls. Or paint them
directly on the walls...I don't know how crazy free you feel about
that. LOL!

Rent a whole series of movies, like all of the Star Wars movies or the
Lord of the Rings, or every episode of Star Trek Classic or all the
VeggieTales, and have a marathon complete with nachos and popcorn.

Invite each person's best friend (including YOURS) over for a slumber
party. Make homemade pizzas.

Absolutely No Housework except the bare minimum to survive...fix meals
and snacks, wash dishes (but use a lot of paper to throw away too),
wash only underwear, pick up the toys a bit when the baby is tripping
over them. That's IT.

Susan (VA)
http://radicalchristianunschool.homestead.com/index.html

[email protected]

Thank you sooo much for the advice. It turns out it is exactly what we
needed. It's funny how sometimes someone elses out look on things can make a big
difference!!!
Thanks again!!!!!!!! Tonya


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