The Predictable 2 pm
I’m not writing this to complain - honestly - or to seek advice, or any other reason really other than this is my blog, and I like to be 100% honest, and well, there. (Now that I’m done I realize this is the longest post I have ever written. 
)
I am so happy with my schedule. I am probably too comfortable if truth be told, but I feel like God’s blessings and some hard work have gotten me to the point that I can say I am completely content with how our daily life at home runs. Someday I hope to post a little schedule “blueprint” sheet that I’ve made a couple and revised a couple of times in the last 2 years in case anyone who is entering “the life with little ones at home” would benefit from seeing something practical like that.
All of that to say I’m so happy, but maybe God is requiring more of me, as He often does with His children. I don’t know, and I’m not sure about it. But anyway, here is my struggle. Yes, it’s probably going to sound like petty whining, but it’s just hard. I don’t know what do about it.
I live in a cul-de-sac with sweet neighbors on both sides. There are teenagers in those homes, and I am always praying for opportunities to talk more to them about their lives, what they believe, and what they think God has to do with all of it. I have had a few great conversations with the girls, ages 14 and 15, but I haven’t seen much of any of them since I have been so sick and tired the last few months. I really do love my neighbors, and I feel humbled that God has put us here between them so providentially.
One of the neighbors is a boy who is about 13 or 14 years old. He is the sweetest thing. He often comes over to rake our leaves, cut the grass, and there have been a few times he has asked if he can help me with the kids, take a walk, etc. I trust him although I don’t know for sure if he believes Jesus is Lord of his life and how he makes decisions and what-not. He wears all black all the time, and he hangs out with other guys who wear all black all the time, but I see right through all of that to his tender heart. He is gracious and sweet, and our children love to see him.
There is this problem, though, that has seemed to escalate over the last few months, and is just so happens that it has coincided with my afternoon schedule getting more manageable and easier for me. Every afternoon at precisely 1:45 to 2:00 pm - somewhere in there - he gets on his skateboard and starts: RRrrollllCRASH! RRrollCRASH! Sometimes it gets quiet for a second and RRrollCRASH! And sometimes he rolls away to see a friend or take a ride, and it is quiet for a while.
I have been criticized by some people for keeping my house too quiet, but I stand by my preference. I love the ticking of the clock, the rustling of the wind outside, the peacefulness of afternoon naptime. My kids know that if they are awake, this is “quiet time.” Maybe I’m crazy, but I have trained them that for at least those 2-3 hours every day, our house is going to be quiet. We go so hard all morning, and Meredith doesn’t nap in the morning anymore, so after lunch and some reading it’s time for naps and quiet. It’s so nice, and that is when I get work done on the computer, read, or sleep. I don’t do any loud cooking or cleaning, and everyone has gotten used to it. But when the skateboarding starts, you can hear every little sound and the crashes sound like someone hammering on our front door! Meredith always wakes up, and most of the time she doesn’t go back to sleep. I’m not a tyrant. If she doesn’t nap, she doesn’t nap; no problem, except that from 4 to 7 pm, it is a terrible situation to console her while cooking and doing whatever else I’m doing, even when Eric is home. What am I going to do?
One day (remember this, Emily?!) I walked outside (okay, I stormed and huffed and puffed) in my t-shirt, nasty hair, and bright pink plaid pajama pants (RUN FOR THE HILLS!) and said, “Please stop. Every time you hit the driveway Meredith wakes up and starts crying and screaming. I need to get a little sleep, or I’m going to fall apart!” And with the rudeness equal to an elevator shutting in your face I raced back inside my front door. Eric was pretty mad at me that day. It got better for about a week, but then it started again. I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t think he goes to school most of the week because sometimes it starts around 12:30; I just want to yell out the window, “Shouldn’t you be in school?!!!”
OKay, I could go on and on and so prove that I am a mean, hormonal pregnant woman, but I am hungry and will go and make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead. I don’t know how to end such rants, except maybe: Feel free to regret that you ever clicked on my blog today.
Posted in Humility
I hate that this is happening, but I love this post!
We also have a quiet house, and get very upset when we don’t have those 2 hours during our day.
Do you know the mother? Maybe you could talk to her? 16 years ago she had a baby that needed quiet times too!
Oh, and I would love for you to post your daily schedule. We’re trying to work out a way for me to stay at home next year!
Oh Kristi I really needed a post like this. I hate to tell you, but I couldn’t help but to chuckle at the prospect of you marching accross the yard. I must admit I would have probably done the same. Perhaps you could also try playing some soft classical music to drowned out the sound of the skateboard. We do this with our children at school and it seems to work. I’ll be praying you can squeeze a nap in sometime in the afternoon! Try to be patient with your little skateboarder!
Thanks guys for humoring me
Kelly, that’s one thing that is hard. Both of these families on both sides are broken. There is no mom at home for him or his siblings. They have a fantastic dad - in the military and very disciplined - but no mom. The youngest, my skateboarder
, has never known his mom. In some ways I feel like an aunt or even a mom to him sometimes.
Oh, I missed that bit, Kelly!!! Wow, that would be great for you to be able to stay home. I know how much you love to be with the kiddos!!
I hope it works out for y’all.
I would not cope well without quiet times, either, Kristi. In fact, we had a very similar problem when we were in England, only it was the next door neighbor’s motorcycle, and the English houses are not built with insulation, so it sounded like he was revving it up right in our foyer! My hubby was gone on business, so I would just pray, pray, pray…. And one day, it stopped. And the kids started napping again without being startled to death. You’re not crazy for wanting and needing quiet time. It is refreshing.
I, too, would love to see your schedule! I’m asking the Lord right now to help the skateboarder to be considerate and respectful of your family. And for grace for you…I know my patience wore very thin with my experience, and would in your shoes, as well. Hang in there, clinging to Jesus, as I know you do!!!
Wow, Jodie, a motorcycle would most certainly be worse. Sounds like you learned a lot and grew in prayer and patience during that. That makes me feel silly for complaining about a skateboard! No offense taken, though!
I’m happy to know a few more people would benefit from seeing my dinky little homemaking schedule. I’ll be sure to post about it next week.
i know your misery. you are not alone in your need for quiet. we have an older homeschooling family down the street- and i have had to enforce a quiet time (we have a huge live oak in our front yard with a swing) when the swing is closed and no doorbell allowed. beth plays with the little girl in the afternoon after “nap” but at 5 1/2 of course we don’t call it that. i will pray for you at 2 when i’m laying my sweet ones down that the skateboard is quiet!
i’d love to hear your schedule. with a nursing baby ours is rather lax- it’s hard to teach math, read the same book over and over, and nurse at the same time!
I love schedules!! Please post.
As for the skateboarder, could you maybe put a noise machine in the baby’s room (or a fan) to block out the noise? You might do well with one, too.
Kristi,
I really appreciate your honesty. So many times I think all of us moms are tempted to post about how we have everything figured out and nothing really bothers us.
We live in a new neighborhood and there is constantly banging going on. I have gotten to where I make both of our bathroom fans go on during nap time to try to drown out the noise. It seems to work most days.
Jackson is transitioning to 1 nap a day (he loves to sleep), it is a big change on both of us. 2 naps a day really gives me time to get some things done. The days that he has 1 nap, I feel are the longest days ever. I know it must take a tremendous amount of patience to have 3 little ones at home. I would love to see your schedule as well, and any advice on how to get things accomplished around the house with 3 little ones!
Hey, Kristi.
I’m glad you didn’t take offense to my comment, but I AM sorry that it made you feel silly! While it might not be AS noisy as the motorcycle, I would not be doing well w/ the skateboaring, either. The Lord has been working on patience in me, as well, but I also know that need for peace and quiet at times.
Blessings to you!!!
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