Living "In the Moment"...long

I am SO trying to do this - let me see if I can explain - DD is 5 years old and in aftercare after kindergarten I get home around 5:30 talk to her for 5 MINUTES and then start to cook dinner, and then the night routine starts......
I can tell you what I am doing at any minute of the day - that is how routine our life is.

my point is - I feel like I don't live for the moment, sit down with DD and just be. I am always doing what I have to, what is expected, etc...
then I plan for the next day...never enjoying where I am at NOW or what I am doing at the moment...

I am a little anal too, that doesn't help, and I am trying to save the cleaning and laundry for when she is asleep so I have more time with her, but I don't want to do Laundry at 10pm either, cause I am exhausted...

Is this the norm ? I hate it :(

Thanks for listening

Re: Living "In the Moment"...long

Can you sneak out to the playground 2x a week right after you pick her up ? maybe have leftovers, takeout those nights ?

I try to do this because I really enjoy them and live in the moment. Watching them laugh, smile, run around with them.

I agree, once Im in the house im worrying about the laundry, the dishes, vacuum. It's hard.

Re: Living "In the Moment"...long

Have you considered a slow-cooker/crock pot?? That saves a lot of time and gives me more time with DC. Prep it the night before and before you leave for work put the pot on low and cook for 8hrs or so and when u get home all is ready to be eaten and more time with the family...

I completely understand your life... We live much of the same. I try to avoid meals that require a lot of prep time. Hence the crock pot.

Re: Living "In the Moment"...long

I know EXACTLY how you feel....

Makes me very very sad.....DS's 6 years have passed in a blink and I always feel like I am going through the motions ...Just recently I have tried to take even 10 minutes a day to tune out everything else and have one on one time with all 3 of them individually...Amazing how hard that is sadly , but I am now realizing that sometimes 10 minutes is all it takes sometimes to make good memories!

My oldest gets the shortest end of the stick by default because the baby and toddler are time demanding just to meet their daily needs...

You are not alone

Message edited 10/19/2011 1:58:17 PM.