Keeping Up With The Jones'

How do you stop yourself from feeling like everything you do is never enough? There is only so much time and money and I feel like I can never "compete" so to speak even tho I do the best I can.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I couldn't care less about what other people are doing..or think of what I'm doing. All that matters are the people within the walls of my home and that they're happy and healthy.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

I compete with nobody.
I do whats best for me and my family and everyone else can do what's best for theirs.
Otherwise you'll never be happy.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I don't try. My family is happy and that's all I care about. We're pretty low key people though.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

You don't.

You breathe. And say. I'm going to do what is best for us and that's it

Look at how happy your family is and really know you are doing. Enough. And doing a great job

And remember,there is one kid on everyone's fb feed that walked at 2 months,spoke French at 5 months and at 15 months currently enrolled in college

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

Posted by gina409

And remember,there is one kid on everyone's fb feed that walked at 2 months,spoke French at 5 months and at 15 months currently enrolled in college

Keeping Up With The Jones'

Love the responses! Thanks everyone :)

Message edited 4/11/2016 5:24:22 PM.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I don't. My DS doesn't expect things (except Legos...lol). We say no all the time and don't do parties. If someone thinks I suck as a mom for it oh well.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I know how you feel. And i remind myself that these people are rarely happy. When you need to put it out there like that its because your trying to convince yourself your happy.
Look at these reality shows for example, flaunting how "rich" they are... meanwhile they are in debt beyond their eyeballs and some doing illegal things.

The girls i know that post how amazing their kids are or their dh bought them this or omg hes my best friend blah blah... are the ones whose kids are animals and their marriages a mess...

When you lay your head down at night you have to be happy.

Message edited 4/11/2016 5:49:04 PM.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I know what I do is enough for MY husband and MY kids. I don't care what anyone else thinks or what anyone else does with their kids. I don't do 1st birthday cake smashes, super fancy vacations, over the top birthday parties, or fancy Christmas card photo shoots. Tons of people do and that's great if you really enjoy doing those things for your family- I admire you, seriously because I don't have the energy for any of that lol. But don't do it to keep up with anyone else- they don't live your life.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

I don't really care what anyone else is doing, the only thing I concern myself with is my family and what is best for us. I make no effort to keep up with anyone, what is the point in that anyway??...................comparing yourself to others and trying to "keep up" only serves to make you miserable. I'd rather spend my time doing what is best for me and being happy.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I don't try at all and I don't feel bad about it. I sah so I keep things on a tight budget but we are happy and my kids have great experiences and enjoy their lives tremendously. Even if we were the only family that didn't see frozen on ice or do the polar express, etc.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

There will always be someone who has more than you and someone who wishes for what you have.
Don't take what you have for granted.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

Eh. Attempting to keep up with the Jones' is like being in a race where you are the only participant. You do you and as long as you're happy and your family is happy, who cares what the next person is up to?

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I'm the furthest thing from noble, but I have honestly never felt that way in my adult life. Maybe things will be different when DD is older and I have to interact with other parents (I dread the day) but I kind of doubt it. I also don't know anyone on LI and most of my friends are still childless and in the city so I'm really not even on the playing field.

Stay off the playing field!

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

Posted by IVFmiracle

There will always be someone who has more than you and someone who wishes for what you have.
Don't take what you have for granted.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

Posted by IVFmiracle

There will always be someone who has more than you and someone who wishes for what you have.
Don't take what you have for granted.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I only do as much as we can handle...

I didn't do a lot of preschool activities and felt some guilt but, when talking to someone who overscheduled her preschoolers - she was so stressed that she didn't have any flexibility on weekends...

Keeping Up With The Jones'

I don't have kids, but I lived through it with my cousins.

If one kids had the ninja with kung foo grip, the OTHER kid got 2.

If one kids was playing soccer, the other kid was playing soccer AND tennis.

If one kid got attention from GM and GP, the other mom made sure HER kid got a DAY with GM and GP.

It was disgusting to watch and I felt bad for the kids.

Be yourself and don't give a flying fig what anyone else does. Oh, and my dog can rescue a person from a car, read a book and climb mount Everest all at the same time.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

Posted by EandF

Posted by IVFmiracle

There will always be someone who has more than you and someone who wishes for what you have.
Don't take what you have for granted.

I love this. So true.

OP - I hear you. We live a couple of towns apart so I imagine we see/deal with a lot of the same stuff. It's hard. I work full time and do as much as I can for them both time-wise and materially. There are a few moms that I always wonder how they do it all. A while back, I spoke to one of them and she said she barely had her ish together! It made me realize, like others have said, you never know what's going on in someone's life and may be completely different than what you imagine. All that matters is the health and happiness of my own family.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

I am not competitive by nature. I am my OWN worst critic and I set high enough standards for myself - If I worried about what everyone else thought of me, or based my life on 'keeping up' with someone else I'd be in a straight jacket!

I go over the top on things. - but because I want to, because I enjoy doing something - Other things I am totally low key and like -

Everyone does their thing, my priorities are my own, for my family, in the walls of my house. That's all. Noone else's business

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

Truth is, we do the opposite.
We live under our means...
Purposely.
Old, modest house, no brands, no fancy purses or shoes.
Some of the REALLY wealthy people we know (one of my son's BFF from school) do too.
Money Def does not buy happiness.
My DH and I think a bit of hunger in life takes you far.
when my sister & I started asking for brands, we got jobs.
I hope to do the same for our kids.

Re: Keeping Up With The Jones'

I say this to my SIL ALL the time! HOW DO YOU DO IT?
My brother and SIL have 3 kids. Almost 6 yr old twin boys and a 8 yr old girl. All three in private school and all three play soccer. So they have their school friends and soccer friends. Every friggin weekend its soccer or parties. Sometimes both! And they do it ALL! Their classes are small so for parties every single kid is invited!
I just can't! I refuse to be a prisoner to my children's social lives. LOL. I work FT as does DH. It's hard enough to find time to fold laundry. I don't want to stress about what people will think if my kids don't go a a Birthday party or aren't enrolled in soccer, softball, gymnastics and cheerleading!
JUST SAY NO!

Like someone else said...I go overboard on some things like throwing a party or a close friend or family members special event. Other things I'm like "I'm not showering today. Leave me alone"

Keeping Up With The Jones'

Pre dd we did it and I had to claw us out of debt. I go big with some things but I make sure it's budgeted for. I get jealous when I see fabulous vacations but I know many of those people are in debt up to the eye balls. It's hard finding the balance.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

Pre dd we did it and I had to claw us out of debt. I go big with some things but I make sure it's budgeted for. I get jealous when I see fabulous vacations but I know many of those people are in debt up to the eye balls. It's hard finding the balance.