So I am a teacher and today I left work early to take the boys to the Dr. because they have had this nasty cough/ cold and it was about time they got it checked out. The Dr. visit was a nightmare! Brady screamed bloody murder as soon as we walked into the examination room because he remembered getting his 18 month shots a month ago (they are 19 months). So anyways I get home around 5 and my darling husband decided he needs to do yardwork. P.S. I am sick myself and I have 2 sick kiddos. Granted they are acting fine, not super fussy or anything but I feel like crap and now have to feed them, Pj them and get them ready for bed solo so he can do yardwork. Am I being a bad mom by wanting a little help feeding the kids and putting them to bed instead of him doing yardwork? Cant he do yardwork when they go to bed at 7? Sorry I guess I just need to vent and am curious how everyone else handles their yardwork with 2 toddllers.
Um, yeah...it irritates me too. I'm even so bad that sometimes I don't want him doing it on the weekends b/c then it eats into "family time". I know that's not very reasonable, but it is what it is. Usually, he'll try to get the lawn mowed after the twins are in bed and before DD1 goes to bed or after they all go to bed, but then it's kinda pushing it for time (having enough light and making sure he's not being too rude with noise too late into the evening).
Yardwork is done here when the kids are sleeping (nap or bedtime)...we don't have much of a yard to work with but between the planters, weeds and pool it can take some time. Because our backyard is small and the deck is gated off, sometimes DH will take the kids on the deck while he works on the back. They like to watch him work or play with their toys on the deck and he does his thing.
in your situation i would have flat out asked for the help & for him to do the yard work another time. :unknw: i've really had to work at letting DH know what i need from him - sometimes i feel like it should be obvious & he should just know, but then, since he isn't doing it, clearly he doesn't, KWIM? i do wish sometimes that he would just pay more attention to things generally but since it isn't likely he's going to change any time soon, i've chosen to learn to say what i want & ask for what i need. :hug: it's definitely tough trying to balance all the needs & wants in a household.
Yeah, I agree. We have a *huge* yard (almost 4 acres) and it takes DH almost 3 hours to mow it with his dinky tractor. Usually he'll do it on weekends, but then he wants to go golfing afterward, so that means I'm alone with the boys most of the day. Don't get me wrong, I love spending the day with my boys since I work during the week, but things are much easier with 2 sets of hands, and I would like some downtime too (laundry while they're napping does *not* count!). It's light out later now that daylight savings time is in effect and summer is coming. I would ask DH to do the yardwork after they go to bed, especially on nights when you're feeling badly. Everyone needs a "sick day" occasionally, and maybe you just need to ask for it. :hug: PS: One other thing we do when we need to get stuff done in the yard is bring them out with us. You don't get tons done when you have to keep an eye on them, but I've found I can weed a bed, sweep part of the driveway, or scoop some dog poop while they run around. It's amazing how much you can get done over the course of the week even if you do it in 10 minute increments, and the boys LOVE being outside.
