When Your Son’s Greatest Aspiration is to be a Hobo
My youngest three kids get out of school a couple hours before I get home from work. I’d been having Austin watch them after school while Savannah is at water polo practice. However, Austin’s idea of watching them and mine were a little different in that Austin didn’t actually watch them. Or maybe he did. Watch them make messes, that is. I finally got tired of coming home to Austin asleep on the couch while the little ones played this game called, “Let’s move every item in the house into another room for no apparent reason”. (Thanks, Ilene, for the name of that game. It’s very fitting!)
I signed my little ones up for the after-school program last week. They weren’t happy with the idea and to tell the truth, neither was I. I hate that they have to stick around there for another couple hours after they finish their school day and I hate the idea of having to pay for childcare when I don’t make all that much to begin with, but I finally realized that I hated coming home to a disaster even more. Austin was assigned the task of walking to town and filling out applications for an afterschool job since the whole babysitting thing just wasn’t panning out.
Want to know how many applications Austin filled out last week? Any guesses? Apparently, getting a job doesn’t mesh with his whole ‘I want to be a hobo’ plan. This week, he was given an ultimatum – get a stinkin’ job or spend your afternoons cleaning the house and getting dinner started. If you don’t, your computer is mine! I’m pretty sure I’ll be acquiring another computer by Friday.
On the bright side, my youngest three are loving the after-school program. In fact, yesterday they complained that I’ve been picking them up too early. (I rush over there the second I get out of work.) They asked me to please let them stay longer. I’m thinking about staying after school to work out for a bit before going to get them. It would be nice to have some time to myself to decompress after work, especially if I can get my mind off what I should be doing and drop the guilt of spending some much needed time on my very neglected self.
The thing I have dreaded the most – sticking my kids in the care of someone else, may turn out all right afterall.
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You need that little bit of time to have to yourself.. Enjoy that five minutes…
After the computer is gone, you could start taking his clothes, and put his mattress out on the lawn. Then he’d really be a hobo. Just a suggestion… :)
My daughter does the same thing! If I got to pick her up before the normal time, she whines and complains! So much for my feeling bad about sticking her in after-school care!
It was hard for me to put my 4 kids in after school care, yet they love it. They are unhappy if I come pick them up early as well. They even go on my day off. It gives me time to get things I need to get done. And give me so quiet time. Glad its working out for you. Hopefully Austin will get some motivation and get a job.
Thank You for increasing your output. I am guessing that there is a kettle boiling somewhere in your home,and you are able to calm yourself slightly by immersing yourself in front of your keyboard. For your readership, this has become an unexpected and delightful treat. I just wanted to pass along a helpful hint: start leaving some ARMY recruiting literature on the couch where your HOBO enjoys his afternoon naps. You may get to witness a change in attitude.
Thanks for everything that you do!
Mark in Mass.
I was just going to comment about the same thing as Mark above, but he beat me to it! I don’t know how you do it, but it seems to be working for you. I know that God has a hand in this and that’s why you haven’t lost it completely. It is such a treat to start my day out with one of your posts. Thank you for being who you are and for sharing your talent and wonderful sense of humor! Just remember, it will come around back to you at some point, and then you will be doing the joy dance!
If the kids enjoy the program, and it doesn’t cost you any more money to leave them there for an additional hour – go work out. Go have coffee and decompress after work. Go window shop. Go do whatever you want and take advantage of that hour or so to yourself. You deserve it.
I’m sure you know this by now — if you don’t take care of YOURSELF, you can’t take care of anyone else! The kids are happy, so let them be happy and take some time out for “me” time. You need it and, more importantly, you DESERVE it!!! You’re awesome!! ((hugs))
Super for your three youngest and for your opportunity to de-stress in the afternoon. I’m praying for Austin, he sounds like he hasn’t made the adjustment yet.I hope he can find an aftershcool job he likes. Stay tough…
My sister and I each at one point had the same problem, with lack of motivation around the house. We ended up losing everything in our rooms but the bed (including the door) because of a lack of respect for our parents. Why my sister didn’t get the hint when it happened to me, I’ll never know, but I can guarantee it worked.
Not the army! Air force or Navy Ok but not the army!! I would use the extra hour to do whatever makes you the happiest.
Awesome! So glad it is working out! You deserve an hour to yourself!!!
English is my second language and I wasn’t really paying attention… but I was a bit confused about your son wanting to become a music instrument…
Glad I read the whole post.
Also don’t forget that you can use a childcare tax credit on next years taxes for them being in childcare. So don’t feel so guilty they are having fun……enjoy a little extra “me” time before you have to pick them up. Sounds like a win win for you all.
As to how to get Austin to fill out job apps, well I’m not sure. My daughter (just turned 17) & wants a job to save for a car (the one we have for her to drive is a standard & she wants an automatic). We explained the only way for her to get one is to get a job & save money to buy her own. She has turned in 1 app, but it didn’t pan out. We tried telling her not get her hopes up for the first one, but I think she did.
My daughter (5) is in an afterschool program and she loves it too, although she’s almost always happy to go home when I come to get her.
Go for the workout, its good for you and probably good for your kids too! You can decompress while on the elliptical, treadmill or whatever fitness routine you want to start and your kids get some structured, monitored free time. As far as Austin goes it sounds like a normal teenager seeing how much they can get away with. I think we have all tried to see how little we can actually do to get by.