Today was the first day of school for my daughters

I hate it when summer ends

Ok so I have 7 daughters and this is the first year they have all been in school all day. I am a SAHM and I have not been with out children for 16 years.

Now what do I do ???

What did everyone else do when all of the children were at school???

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Dawnie
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If there is a will there is a way!

7 daughters? Wow, my hat goes off to you! I'm sure with a family your size there is more than enough work around the house to keep you busy! IMO, stay at home moms work hard enough!!

I picked projects to work on around the house that were hard to work on when the kids were there.... start taking a little better care of myself by exercising.... volunteering more at their school.. and yes, the occasional lunch or breakfast out with some girlfriends, as I desperately need time with my friends, too! Grocery shop..., run errands... the list is endless.

IMO.... the 7 hours or so that the kids are gone to school, fly by!!

HTH, enjoy yourself, mom!
Suzanne

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Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like. - Lemony Snicket

Mimosas?? Mani/Pedi?? Bon bons on the couch in front of every trashy daytime TV show you can find??

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TLJ ~ Women United in Spirit

I am SO EXCITED for school to start next Monday! I have had a kiddo home at least most of the day for 8.5 years so this year my youngest is in 1st grade so I have more than 2.5 hours to myself.

I am excited to be able to shop without the kids getting bored, buying groceries without "I want that", getting the dinner made without 3-6 interuptions during the day, going to a movie by myself to see what it's like, having a leisurely lunch outside at a restaurant - reading a book while munching on a n appy and drinking a marg without worrying about time crunches, getting my work done on my business without having to take breaks to help the kids, and mostly, just to ENJOY a cartoon free zone!

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

oh I could do so many projects around my house if all were in schoool projects that I planned on doing on maternity leave with my almost 7yr old still waiting to be done ROFL!!! My 3 will be in school but the little one is only in preschool 2 days a week for 2 hrs its just for me to catch my sanity thats all & she loves it I do get a few things here & thier done but its not enough time by the time you drive thier & back & then back to get her but its truly my only alone time so its very precious to me

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mom of 3 greats girls

I know how you feel - it's so strange being alone, you feel like you're not your complete self without 'the entourage' around. When I would be in a store and a little kid w/their mom would be having a typical cute dialogue, I'd smile at them, and then realize that they would have NO IDEA by looking at me that I could relate.

Eventually you will come to really like your new schedule! Do the things that have been suggested here - particularly helping in school, as well as taking up a new interest that's just about you!

awwee..would anyone like to come over to watch my 5?? The girls I watch goes back on Thursday and my son starts preschool next Thursday..
p.s op I am the 5th out of 6 girls.. hats off to you!! go get yourself a well deserved massage!

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

oldest doesnt go back til the 6th, son #2 on the 18th, then I'll have my 4yo son and my 2yo son at home but my stress level will go WAY down cause the fighting will be less. next year i'll have 3 boys in school and me and my then 3yo will have tons of fun just us he's great to go shopping with heheh

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Gee, kind of makes me sad that no one mentioned volunteering at school or helping out with PTA. Both of my children are in jr. high and there's very little PTA work on the jr. high level. I've been involved in PTA since DD started K, 10 yrs. ago. The last 4 yrs. were in middle school where there were very few volunteers. I sometimes spent all day at school doing PTA work and helping out in the building as needed.

Last year I actually had about 3 months of having my daytime to myself Unfortunately, it was spent at the OB's office or napping or grocery shopping...

Thanks everyone!! I just wanted to see what everyone else would do with the time

Last year my daughter was in school 1/2 days so I just stayed at school and helped. So I do help a lot at school but my daughter got very use to me being there and so this year I am going to help but not for the first 2-3 weeks and only a few days a week. I have to get them use to the school by themselves.

I will go shopping and I will go workout without having to hurry WOW I may get a job too

I just feel lost right now

Thanks for you imput!!

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Dawnie
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If there is a will there is a way!

Didn't you see my post? I mentioned "volunteering at the school." I thought it'd be understood that people would automatically think "PTA."

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Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like. - Lemony Snicket

There is TONS of stuff you can do at the school that will limit your contact with your own child so that they do not get attached to you being present. Ask the librarian if she needs help. Get involved in the PTA and help with fundraisers, county council, newsletters. Find out who does the yearbook and become the activities photographer. See if the school needs reading/math tutors. If you are computer literate they often need help with things like accelerated math/reading or just keeping teacher's computers working. How about tallying Boxtops for Ed or Campbell's Soup labels?

There is tons to do at the school and I help in the classroom but my daughter understands I am there for the whole class or school, not just for her.

After that you will need the mimosas and you will have earined yourself a day on the couch with bon bons.

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TLJ ~ Women United in Spirit

The empty feeling passes with time... It usually takes 2 or 3 weeks every year for our small family to adjust to the change.

It is so easy to lose our identities in life when we are SAHM's and our whole life has revolved around our children for so long -- especially when you have such a large brood! Wow.

Think about what has been missing in your life from BEFORE you had kids and find a way to get back into that for a few hours each week.

Take time to get to know Dawn.

I do volunteer at the kids school BUT this year I am not doing it as much as I did last year. My kids are elementary level but I am one of the few parents that help regularly. It's time for someone else to step up to the plate this year. I'll still help but I'm not doing it all like usual...I've done that for 4 years now

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

You are so right about that! I don't even remember what I like to do!? I would love to find time to volunteer again, which DH and I both did before kids. I just took a paper to sign up for the PTA, I know most of the people on it, so I guess that is a good new place to start. I want to get this house ORGANIZED too! I can throw stuff OUT without little eyes watching me!

Good luck Dawn, you'll have plenty to do without the girls around!

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

my youngest is entering 3rd grade and I had a similar NOW WHAT feeling when all my kids were finally in school. I agree about maybe picking a project you have always wanted to complete without 10,000 interruptions. I live in the land of helicopter moms, many of which spend their entire day at the school - so they aren't in dire need of volunteers, but, I do go to all school events for my kids and go on all the field trips (they're fun!).

I also make a point of getting all my housework and errands done while they are in school and even prepare dinner so that they have all my attention at 3:30. You will be surprised how quickly the day goes!

I hope you have some fun for yourself too. Hats off for raising 7 girls! The best is yet to come!

Mine hasn't started yet... lol still waiting..

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"Never loan your car to someone you have given birth too"

I so agree with you on that.

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l/ l/ l/
Dont go through life,
GROW through life

Real eyes...realize...real lies.

I have been waited for over 5 years for this day to come,first day of school 2007!!!!!!
me ,alone at home,first time in almost 14 years.......

but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,my dh decided to work 2 nd shift,so he is home until 2.20pm(kids come home at 3.40pm,a whopping 1h20 by myself!!!).then we decided that I would homeschool our 13 year old this year (8th grade) and she will be going to highschool next year....
so nope ,not alone yet ,i am starting to think that I will never be alone ever again.....

but I do volunteer at school as much as I can,t ,just to get out of the house......

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