Are you bored? Honestly?

babyGsmama

My baby is not here yet, but I am trying out this sahm thing before I actually make a decision on whether I want to go back to work or not in January.  So far I have cleaned the house everyday and gardened like crazy.  I know that things will be different when my LO comes, but honestly are any of you kinda bored sometimes?  I don't know if I am cut out for this. 

taylormillgirl

Yes. Honestly.

But every job has its pros and cons, and being a SAHM is no exception. Boredom is the biggest downside for me. But at the end of the day, it's still worth it.

ETA: Don't confuse boredom with a lack of activity. I stay very busy (I have 3 kids!) But the things that keep me busy are monotonous and dull (changing diapers, cleaning up, preparing meals, laundry, playing with the kids, etc.) Even playgroups can be dull if all the adults ever discuss is the kids, which tends to happen more often than not.

JAM2000

not really once the baby get here it will be go-go-go.....you'll have down time in the begining because they sleep so much, but you should use that time to nap yourself- that is the one mistake I made- I was too worried about cleaning the house when he was sleeping that I didn't take the time to rest myself.

HarrietNJMommy

taylormillgirl:

Yes. Honestly.

But every job has its pros and cons, and being a SAHM is no exception. Boredom is the biggest downside for me. But at the end of the day, it's still worth it.

Ditto. In the beginning it's boring because your LO does nothing but sleep all day. Then, it gets boring because they do the same thing OVER and OVER! As they get over the age of 1, it gets MUCH better and you are able to do a LOT more with them. 

gobigblue

me - no.  i might be bored once in a blue moon while DD is sleeping and i've done everything i need to do, but other than that, there's no time!  each stage is probably different.  DD was a fussy newborn so no time to be bored then.  she's very active and wants to play w/ me a lot now, so not bored now.  i tend to be working on projects at all times too (baby book, organizing photos, cutting coupons, computer, etc).

jen5-03

Maybe mentally bored, but usually too busy keeping up with DD and our lives to actually have the energy to do something else. In the beginning I was too busy with DD to even cook dinner. I swear my butt was glued to the rocker and I was always nursing her, holding her, nursing her, soothing her, nursing her, getting her to sleep.... I felt like every day went by so fast that I was suprised when DH got home that it was so late. Unless of course DD had been screaming all day, in which case the day was about 1000 hours long and I was going insane... but not bored.

I do work part time, but when I'm home DD usually entertains me so that I'm not bored. She's still fascinating to watch. And then we also get out of the house every day either on an errand or to playgroup and probably a couple trips to the park thrown in there too. I will say that trips to the park are probably the most boring part of my sah life. But she loves it and I love that it wears her out and makes her nap well so I go with it.

EnglishMajor03

jen5/03:

Maybe mentally bored, but usually too busy keeping up with DD and our lives to actually have the energy to do something else.

I would agree with this.  Mentally I'm so unchallenged that I feel worthless to myself half the time.  I read, go to the gym and keep up with the news, but it's not enough.  I really miss the challenges of work.  Other than that, though, you will never have a 'quiet' day running around with your LO...no matter what age/stage they are at. Good luck trying to clean your house everyday with a newborn   It's next to impossible to do it once a week hehe!

Alli321

Honestly.  Yes.  It comes and goes.  Not sitting with nothing to do bored, because I find I don't have time to get everything I want done, but I get bored because I feel like i am always doing the same thing with my LO. Since she is so young, there isn't that much she can do yet.  Also I don't have any friends that have kids yet, so that may be part of it too.  I think once she gets older it would be better.  I started visiting daycares today since I said I would SAH for a year, but even now with the boredom am not sure that I really want to go back to work yet. 

hayleydeee

No, I haven't been bored once yet. It seems like I can never fit in everything I want to do in a day. When (or if) there is ever down time I have all of my ?creative projects to keep me busy.?

But, I had NO doubts about wanting to stay home instead of working. My only real concerns were about finances, and so far we've managed okay. I worked for 15 years, and was so ready to be a stay at home mom.?

drunkenwife

Honestly?  Yes.

ali-1411

Yes, I'm bored.  But I was bored at work, too.  I'd rather be bored at home than bored at work

roses_wish

No, I am honestly not bored! DD and I are always finding things to do, places to go, people to see...I try really hard to prevent monotonous the days from getting monotonous. I have had my moments of feeling bored, but overall I LOVE being a SAHM and spending my time with my little girl, 

The first few months were definitely harder, because you feel like all you do is sit at home, feed the baby, change diapers, and surf the net...

Now that she is 11 months old though, I absolutely LOVE every day with her and we actually get to really interact and play! I have not regretted my decision at all! We clean together, cook together, go for walks, go to the park and library...I think it takes time to adjust to the lifestyle, but in the end its totally worth it...IMHO at least

 

DNK777

Yes.  DD is still young, so she still sleeps a lot.  I think I am kind of lucky because DD does well in the car and stroller, so I can get out when I want to without too much hassle.  I am thinking about joining a moms group or something though because everyone I know works during the day and it is kind of isolating being here with DD everyday.

WilyRed

Never bored.  There are always about 20 million things I have to do, tons of things I want to do (books to read, movies/tv shows to watch, websites to visit, friends to call/visit, activities to do).  Sometimes I don't want to do the dinosaur puzzle AGAIN, but never bored.  I was WAY more bored at work.

Sept17.05Bride

HarrietNJMommy:

taylormillgirl:

Yes. Honestly.

But every job has its pros and cons, and being a SAHM is no exception. Boredom is the biggest downside for me. But at the end of the day, it's still worth it.

Ditto. In the beginning it's boring because your LO does nothing but sleep all day. Then, it gets boring because they do the same thing OVER and OVER! As they get over the age of 1, it gets MUCH better and you are able to do a LOT more with them. 

This exactly!  I hardly get bored now that DS is older.  We do a lot during the day to keep ourselves busy.  I was more bored in the beginning when all he did was sleep.

mandymack

Honestly, no, I have never been bored and I give all the credit to my family and friends from back in TX, as well as the neighbors and friends I have made here in CA that have gone out of their way to visit me, keep in touch with me, help me find fun things to do here in CA and just to be a part of my life.

Our house has been like revolving door the past 3 1/3 years, ha! 

Every stage Emily has gone through since birth has had it's challenges and not-so-fun parts, some days are better than others and I have been home-sick from time to time when my mom can't come visit but thanks to all the play dates, activities, classes, local story times and parks, drop-in swim times, family activities at DH's work and about a million other things we do around here, Emily and I are never at a loss for things to do and I just never have enough time to be bored, if you can imagine. 

I will say however that I LOVED the 7 months I was pregnant as a SAHW - I was so lazy, I slept in every day and lounged by the pool with a good book most afternoons and I took up some new hobbies!   I do however get how being at home right now could be bored for you and I hope you are able to find some ways to better occupy your time... I would sleep! 

iowagirl73

Yes I am bored sometimes.

Alexandra*sMom

I have 2 kids.  We have 3-5 activities per week.  No, I do not have time to be bored.  I wish I had an hour for myself to relax daily.  Oh - that is at 5:30 when I choose to wake to workout ALONE!

cp760

Yes, I was bored until my second child arrived and then I had a newborn and a toddler. Now I never have time to be bored (w/ a 2 yr old, 4 yr old and 7 yr old), but now things are the complete opposite...I would LOVE to be bored for a few minutes! My life is go, go, go and I long for the days of being bored. lol. Usually once your baby is mobile and starts talking, everything starts to get more exciting. Good luck!

J&A2008

no, but I wasn't a sahm until #3

ithadtobeyou

No way! I can honestly say I have never been bored as a SAHM. I love it. If DS does manage to take a nap (rare!) I have plenty of things to do. I am the type of person who keeps myself busy and I was much more bored at work than I am with my son. I consider SAHM my job. So I give it 100%. And I love it, even on the really bad days, when DS is super cranky, I would not trade it for work, even at the jobs I had which I considered fun, they just don't compare.

As another pp said, I worked for many many years before having DS so maybe that does make a difference, I don't know. I was ready to be a sahm.

Anyway, it will be different for you with the baby. So I would just make a decision after the baby is here!

Rachel Bennett

Oh my gosh am I bored and I even have a five year old. The days seem to drag and I'm like I have ten weeks left till baby is here. Our house is all over the place because my husband and father in law are redoing our daughters new room they gutted the bathroom to the boards and it's a mess. My daughters playroom was that room and her toys are all over our formal living room and her room now still needs to be transformed into the nursery. Ahhh! Not that much time to get everything done, but can't do anything till our daughters new room is finished.?

?

You would think I would be busy but it has not come to that yet until her room is done than I will be busy. I have not even bought anything for baby yet except for some sleepers.

?

DevonPow

Yep - I get bored. We do a ton of things to get us out of the house - playdates, classes, museums, the gym, errands, activities, etc etc.to keep rom being bored.  We are usually out of the house except when eating/sleeping.

BUT - the times we are home playing and those rainy days that we are stuck inside,  yes, I am bored. There are only so many times I can push the toy trains around the track, you know?  He is only 2, so his play time at home tends to be very repetitive, very non-independent, and he is only now really starting to develop imaginative play. I love singing "5 little monkeys", but only the first 200 times each day

I am never, ever, ever, ever bored in terms of "oh my gosh, what do I do now?" There is always stuff to get done.

rolltidebaby

I WISH I had tome to be bored!!! So, no, I am not bored.

MosersGirl

No, I'm never bored.  Sometimes I feel like I plan too much and actually look forward to a day where we just hang out at home.  I love my life! 

MommyMimi27

I have days when at times I can be bored but generally I am so busy and feeling overwhelmed.. It really seems like it will be boring when they are not here yet but when that baby comes especially at first the last thing you will be is bored.. You will be exhausted.. So enjoy this time as much as you can doing things for yourself.

Princess_Ariel

You'll have your moments, especially as every day will seem to be the same.  If you're worried, start networking with parenting groups and parent-baby classes so you have outside activities to do.  They can also help give you ideas for playtime at home.

thinkofthat

Yes.  But, I am also physically exhausted all the time.  Mentally, I am bored.

Trust me, you will not be bored at first.  It takes a while to set in.  I was also bored at my job from time to time, so it's simply a trade off.  I consider myself no happier or more depressed than when I was working.  Well, maybe a little happier since I get to watch DD change every day.   You just have to deal with some things, and for me, boredom is one of them.  There's ways to combat it.

Good luck!

citygirl_

No, I'm not.  I love being at home and there's always SOMETHING to be done.  Maybe on a rare day here and there, but then we just go do something.