{SQT} – first week home

It’s been a long time since I remembered about the Seven Quick Takes link up far enough in advance to write a post for it! This is a good week for it, too, since it was my first week as a (mostly) SAHM…

Also, after writing these I realized that every point on the list can serve as an example of some autism characteristic. I suppose it supports the argument that autism is an integral part of who an autistic person is – informing their strengths, joys, temptations, and weaknesses. Bonus points if you can name the trait that is on display in each quick take 😛

1. My first impression of this SAHM thing is that it is incredibly relaxing. I don’t have to worry about the clock, since the kids aren’t in school or other scheduled activities, so we can go through our day at the pace that works best for us. Some days we can play outside for an hour before breakfast; other days we can color. Some days the kids can hang out in our pajamas until showers before bed; other days we can be out the door in time to get to the zoo when it opens. Simply put, it is very resource-intensive and energy-draining for me to have to be ready for something at a specific time – I can’t seem to figure out how to efficiently prepare for it without losing track of time – and so removing that component of almost every day of the week is quite wonderful.
2. I hope I didn’t insult any veteran SAHM’s with the above assessment. Everyone experiences life differently and I know being home all day with little kids can be really hard for some women. It would be hard for me if they weren’t my kids – I could never be a daycare provider – but I truly love being home. And I really don’t mind not having to make small talk with other adults!
3. I shared with my church small group on Saturday about my apprehension regarding the transition from working 30 hours a week to working 8 hours a week (mostly working mom to mostly staying at home mom), and one of the other women came up to me afterwards and said that if I wanted to talk about being a SAHM and developing routines she would love to help me out with the transition. I thought, oh, I’d rather figure it out myself, but that was sweet of her. Later my husband asked if I’d set up a time to hang out with the other woman (he had watched the whole interaction) and I was like, no, she didn’t want to hang out, she was just offering advice! Apparently I really missed the social cues here… my husband had to spend a while explaining to me that she probably did actually want to just spend time together, and that the offer of advice was just an opening as she is a very shy individual.
4. It is highly enjoyable when your children’s interests are similar to your own. We have been coloring for hours a day around here! I find myself buying markers/crayons/pencils/coloring books every time I go out somewhere and spot something that looks good, even though we really don’t need anything else right now. It is just so exciting to have new tools and new pictures, and so fun to sit together making beautiful things! Rondel tells me every night that he can’t sleep because he just wants to color so much that he can’t stop thinking about it, and he has me lay out new pictures at bedtime so they are ready for him as soon as he wakes up in the morning. 
   

   

   
5. I think a temptation for me as a SAHM will be to let things slide to the lowest comfortable level, instead of taking the initiative to continually maintain, improve, elevate, and encourage. Since I have this new relaxed and free schedule, for example, I have more time available to intentionally teach the faith. We can read Bible stories over breakfast; we can pray; we can celebrate the lives of the saints – without having to fit those things into the hectic hours at the ends of a workday. But I have to determine in advance that this is my priority, and make it happen instead of coloring just a little bit longer. Cleaning the house will similarly need to be made very intentional. It is so easy for things that can be done anytime to actually be done never.
6. My kids finally destroyed my glasses, so I get to begin SAHM life with duct-taped frames 🙂 This is what happens when I keep procrastinating… who needs new frames when duct tape is holding them together so functionally and inconspicuously?
7. Now that I’m home all the time, I really should get to know my neighbors. Things were just too crazy for a while there, especially with my anxiety. But now that we’ve been here almost a year, how can I non-awkwardly introduce our family? Any ideas on how to meet people when one is decidedly not extroverted?

Head over to This Ain’t The Lyceum for the rest of the quick takes! There are always some great links worth reading in addition to Kelly’s (usually humorous) post.