Comments on: motherhood can be boring, but it doesn’t have to be.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:38:10 +0000

Thanks so much for this post!! It describes what I have been feeling and dealing with more often than not lately. It’s so refreshing to see it in writing and to know other Mom’s feel bored and stuck the same way I do sometimes. What an inspiration and a great reminder to quit checking out and to stay engaged.

By: Emile

Emile — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:48:29 +0000

I’m so glad to have discovered your blog today. It seems that many of your recent posts are particularly timely for my thought train. I do feel “bored” a lot with my day to day millings. And, I have so many books I want to read, things I’d like to knit, languages to learn, etc. It’d be fun to actually have my own blog too. I really want to get more out of my days for me and for my kids. I find myself taking shortcuts with them (like TV) in order to grab minutes for myself that never seem to be enough to fill me up and then feeling guilty for having tried. Anyhow, I’m subscribed to your blog now and will be looking to hear what more you have to say about all this.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:41:03 +0000

Meagan, this is great. And pretty much what I’ve been suffering from and whining about lately. Enough already, right? It would seem that my feelings of being engaged in my life come and go a little too quickly. I’ve never been good at self-discipline, but maybe if I call it something else I can learn how to stay engaged a little bit longer.

Thought-provoking as usual. Thank you.

By: angie

angie — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:13:04 +0000

Thank you for writing this, Meagan! I didn’t even know it was monotony I was checking out of! I thought it was responsibility, or difficulty, or something, not garden variety boredom. I agree–life is better when you engage.

By: Laurie Puhn @ expectingwords.com

Laurie Puhn @ expectingwords.com — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:48:25 +0000

I have a mix of time with my toddler, and working in and out of the home as a writer/lawyer-mediator. The mix is really important to me, though it always pulls me in two directions. I actually find it calming to have a couple weekdays with my son, just him and me, and no other work on my mind. Sometimes I’m jealous of moms who can 100% focus on their kids every day. Reading your post reminds me of the cliche – the grass is always greener on the other side. No matter how we balance family and work, I think most moms think about whether we’d be happier if we found a different balance. Perhaps the best thing to do is to follow your advice in the above post: whatever balance exists in one’s life between work and family, find ways to be a leader in one’s own life: find hobbies, plan a family event at the local church or temple, read books, start a parenting group, etc. Where there is a will, there is a way.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:45:14 +0000

This is a great summary of what I don’t love about my life at home with my wonderful kiddos. I love being a mom, I love the little moments, but I have too often let myself slide into the trap of thinking I was stuck with the same monotonous tasks and routines each day. I’m not stuck unless I let myself be though, am I?!! And tonight when the kids go to bed, I AM going to try some yoga, instead of watching the Food Network, lol.

By: Kristen @ Motherese

Kristen @ Motherese — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:23:00 +0000

I adore this piece, Meagan. I think I’ll forward it to two good friends who just became mothers.

When I first started staying at home with my older son, I could not believe how monotonous the days felt. There were the fleeting moments of magic associated with chubby knees and first words, of course, but much of the day felt just as your described: rinse and repeat.

Perhaps even harder for me was the lack of predictability of it all. Yes, there were pockets of free time, but I never knew exactly when they would come. For those of us coming from the working world, this idea of loss of control is a difficult one. There is beauty and power in the letting go, but it is a challenging growth process.

By: Amy @ Frugal Mama

Amy @ Frugal Mama — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:44:28 +0000

I totally agree. A day in the life of an at-home mother can be monotonous. But what’s great about being able to raise your kids is that there are pockets of time (when the kids are napping or having quiet time, or when they sleep at night) which you can dedicate to pursuing a hobby or passion or part-time job.

Volunteering with child-based organizations (like schools or community organizations) is also totally do-able and can be really rewarding, as well as provide something to add to your resume.

I love cooking, writing, and helping the community and I’ve been able to do all of them while raising kids.

Even though the days can be the same, each day in itself is packed with variety in terms of activities, location, and social opportunities.

Considering all this, on top of getting to be present in your children’s lives, I think motherhood is the best job in the world.

By: Christine LaRocque

Christine LaRocque — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:11:46 +0000

This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m only a few short weeks away from returning to work after a year-long maternity leave. For many reasons I’m dreading it, but your post reminds me of one of the most central reasons I work. It keeps me focused on my life and fresh for my children. Work is my escape and at the same time helps me to provide for them in a way I want to. Through both my maternity leaves (both were a year long) I struggled with that feeling of being so bored and yet so full of joy at being able to spend quality time with my children in their first year of life. I thrive on routine, but it was the isolation that created the boredom. Thanks again Meagan for putting into words the reality of motherhood. I’m certain many, many people can relate to this.

By: Z

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:54:22 +0000

iTunes also has iTunes U which has great lectures available from many places and it’s a good way to learn about something new

Thanks for reminding us to be more productive with our time.