Seeking Answer to Survey Question

I would definately have to agree with Kim C's answer. Mom needs to be happy. If that is a little time away getting her nails/feet done, a massage, excercising, gym or outside. Some time with friends, dinner out. Just a little time for herself goes a long way....:-))

Starting last week, another woman and i are enjoying ourselves on Tuesday evenings. Our fun time is from 7:00 till 9:00 pm, and we are learning country line dancing. This is probably the last thing anyone who knows me would expect, but I am enjoying it alot. We are enjoying the laughs and the exercise.

My definition of fun is to take a bike ride, walk with girlfriends or a nice unrushed lunch with my girlfriends.Once in a while we may do a dinner. Get a nice pedicure, massage or just a nice soak in the bathtub. I love my balanced life and it does not include dancing or drinking!! Night events are for my family and my husband and we respect eachother very much.
L. Jacobs

Fun to me is doing something... well, fun. What better way than to spend it with my children doing fun things. They after all, are the experts when it comes to this subject. Several years ago I gave up my career as a teacher to start a family and be a stay at home mom. While it can be hard sometimes with the economy, I never lose sight that it is for my family and they are worth every bit. A while back my daughter was in every club from Girl Scouts to Chorus to you name it. I still toted her around with 2 other small children. Finally, this year as she went off to middle school I asked what else she wanted to do. She responded no extra activities. That was a HUGE turning point that meant so much I had no idea what it would lead to. Our day consists of getting ready for school and the bus. As three o'clock comes around and the buses are coming in, the very large play group is about to begin. All the neighborhood kids all come out play. Us parents come out with our chairs and supervise while our children play. That's all. My children have so fun and they have let me know this, too. Sometimes us parents toss the ball around as well. I had no idea that something so simple would be so rewarding. The children take with them many learned things. The parents take with them many rewarding things such as conversing with other adults and watching our children grow. There is one other thing, it's free!!!! It is 0% stress free. Every now and then my good friend calls me when I am sitting under a tree. She always is sitting traffic taking her children to many of the expensive after school activities from dance to etc. She always tells me how stressful it is. I have told her how we did that. You might ask, well how do I get away from it all. Well, it so fun just doing nothing but hang out that when I go to sleep at night I am in peace, so I never feel that I have to get away. On the weekends, we do go to the park for a picnic as family with daddy who works hard all week. Church on Sundays. Since we have been doing this I never look back and all the self inflicted stress of games, pictures for those games, uniforms for the pictures for those games, hundreds of boxes of girl scout cookies, wondering if we won the prize for those hundreds of boxes of girl scout cookies, waiting for the patch for the girl scout cookies, driving the missing order at ten o'clock pm for the cookies, waiting for theatre to get out at curtain time-11:00 pm, making sure the costume is intact for the next 10 performances, realizing that a piece is missing and combing backstage for it, going to pick up child 2 while child 1 is still in the first activity, realizing that a healthy dinner needs to be slipped in at some point, stopping for gas with 5 minutes to go 5 miles, nursing child 3 while child 2 and 1 are at different locations. I have done it all. Meanwhile over the years, many children have always told me, including my own, they never wanted all that. They just wanted to play and my children just wanted me to play, too. How simple is that. That is how I have fun. Everyday is a vacation. When you think about it, our children's success is not how many expensive activites they can endure, but through a strong self esteem and great role models. Just having fun builds both. School grades even got better.

I am a single mom living in Pinellas Park. Baywalk Theater in Downtown St. Petersburg. This movie theater has a childrens playroom. I can go watch a movie while my son plays in the playroom. The playroom has certified care givers who are CPR trained, they have computers and video games, they can see movies and have snacks. My son and I thoroughly enjoy going and he has met new friends there. This is our idea of fun and it combines fun with family.
JBR

date night with my hubby is fun for me. we go at least once a month. we go out to a dance club or sometimes just a movie, either at home or in the theatre. either way the 4 kids we have (14,12,7,4) are with grandma. we also have our 'alone' time at least 4-5 times a week (unless my monthly visitor is here)- that is also REALLY fun!!! spending the day at the beach is so fun- the best when we go body surfing- either as a family or a date. but for just me and no one else....a nice hot bath. i add some sour milk if i have it, or maybe a little oil. and soak while my hubby brings me some nice HOT HOT water to keep the bath just like i like. :)

Yoga then breakfast on Saturday mornings with the girls!

Hi M.,
I found myself asking the same question or having it asked of me. When people wanted to know what I did for fun, I could not think of a thing. I have two children ages 11 and 8 and most of my spare time after working 8 hours a day is spent with the kids and making sure they get their homework done, eat dinner, practice their instruments or sports, get cleaned up for bed and get to bed. By that time then the husband wants what may be left of any time or energy I may have which usually isn't much. I just want to sit and veg out so I can relax and sleep. About 4 years ago I had been asked that question so many times that I was really frustrated that I couldn't answer. I mean it is ok for my husband to go out with the guys and golf all morning or fish all day while I stay home because the kids can't go with him. That is when I met my Premier Designs mom, Judy, and considered running my own home based business. To give me some ME time. What a great decision that has been. I have met wonderful people, expanded my circle of friends, found an identity, learned how to step outside my comfort zone, oh, and earn some extra spending money as well. It has been a great decision and has been a lot of fun applying what I already do daily at work to my own venture. So I guess for me, fun is being able to continue supporting my children when they need me but having the options to go out an meet new ladies, teach them about accessorizing and share my business with them and just plain having my own identity and respect. Fun doesn't mean running around getting drunk and being young and stupid anymore. I guess your definition really changes with all the changes in your life.

First off, I have to agree, it seems the older one becomes, the more responsibility, and with responsibility seems to come growing old at heart as well. I on the other hand can't seem to follow that routine, so I figured it would be fun to answer this question. I have been a sahm for 8 years, I'm 28, and have been married to my husband for almost nine years, we have three beautiful children Willy 7, Braden 5, and Madison 3. I love my children, they are a wonderful gift and I couldn't imagine my life without them in it, but that doesn't change who I am at heart, and my husband will be the first to tell you that I am what keeps him young. My husband is going to be 36 this year, and tells me everyday that he could not imagine his life without me, while he does realize that his life could be quieter without me, not from nagging in any way lol, just because of my free spirited nature, and the fact that I wake up every morning wanting to have fun. Fun to me is being with my husband when I do anything, he is my best friend, and I want him with me when I go places, because what makes going somewhere fun if your not going to go with your best friend. I think fun is when we go to a great rock concert, or when we go hiking, or fishing, or when we go to a store and purposely make a scene just to get in our mini van and laugh so hard at all the heads we managed to turn. I've never really been one to papmer myself, couldn't really afford to if I wanted to, not to mention the fact that we can't afford a baby sitter either, but fun to me is not really being alone, I can't have very much fun alone. I got lucky when I got married, and fun for me is just being with my husband, while I wish we could be alone a little more than we are, we did manage to pick a house right next door to my father, lol, so sometimes we have a baby sitter, but when we don't it's ok, we taught our kids a lot about fishing and nature so it's not too hard to take them with us so we're not always stuck. We are the odd couple, he's a straight up red neck, and I am the farthest from looking like a stay at home mom with my pink and blonde hair and punk rock style, but I think that's what makes us so much fun. I know this has been a long answer, but I don't think that it's possible to give a short answer to a question like this when it involves the level of seriousness that parents in general feel they have to aquire the moment a child comes into their lives, yes you have to be an adult and have structure and a stable environment for your children and marriage, but fun should also be a priority, life should always be lived as if it were your last day, and who wants to live their last day without at least one good laugh?

As always, Young at heart,

Candi :o)

For me - the definition of fun is being able to go out on a date (watch a movie, eat dinner, go shopping) with the husband but without the kids. I love family time but since the husband and I rarely get time alone - date night is the best night of all.

Well I think all women can agree that Fun can be many things but one thing I have learned as a Mom and talking to other Moms is Date Night without Kids!!!! To feel like you are carefree again and can focus on your DH.
Other fun things for me - Gardening (roses & Butterfly gardens especially) - reading - learning crafts - being silly with my kids & dog (trying to get my 11yo to not be a moody preteen) - spending time with friends - even watching craft/decorating shows - Baking

Fun, well there are lots of things I do for fun depending on my mood at the time. Sometimes a good book and a bubble bath can be fun. Playing in the pool is lots of fun. Going shopping with my hubby is fun. Visiting the girls at college is fun. Going to Michigan to visit my family is lots of fun. But there are lots of fun things you can do that don't cost a thing. Going for a walk, riding bikes, a scavenger hunt-yes even older people enjoy this, playing computer games, playing PS2, flower gardening, talking to a friend on the phone. I consider these all fun things to do. But I think one of the best things we do is go and sing (volunteer) karaoke at an assisted living facility.

"If Mamma isn't happy, nobody's happy". Its the motto our household runs on. I truly feel that doing things for myself benefits my family, it gives me that little extra bit of patitence that can turn a bad day into "quality time".
My favorite things to do for myself:
Run in the mornings (to feel good and stay in shape)
Yoga class (very relaxing)
A message or pedicure as needed (based on stress level, not nail polish status)
A cup of tea and gossip with friend (this one is the best)

My definition of fun? well, it's date night with my husband at the top of that list. I love being able to get dressed up, and treated like a "lady" for one night a month by my husband. Dinner, movie, dancing, walk in the moonlight....that is always fun and relaxing. Another thing I do for "me" fun, I like to read, bird watch, garden...I take great relief in my hobbies and find fun in doing them.