Working parent After Work Routine

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momof2angells

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Hi. I’m sorry if this is in the wrong area.

This new year I want to transition from work to home on a more fulfilling way. I get home around 530 after a full day. After my husband or I make dinner I would like to spread this out throughout the week. (We are doing a daily rosary at 9pm.)
Spiritual reading, exercise for 30 minutes, trying to find out how to spend time with teenagers.
Does anyone work full time with teens?
How do you balance coming home after a full day to domestic duties, personal enrichment and time with family.
I’m doing it day by day and we’re doing good but I like to learn from others who are there now or have been there.
I look forward to going home but I don’t want to neglect t talking to my teens because I’m immersed in a book. We have a great relationship with them and they’re great kids. We all usually gather together when us parents get home, we hang out a bit, talk about our day. Then they go back to their rooms and around 630 or 7 we see them again for dinner. Sometimes we play a board game which is so fun. Other times they eat dinner later. My husband and I get into house mode, chat and we have an 8 o’clock reading hour.
Maybe we’re doing ok. I was just curious about how others manage their routines.
Thank you and God bless.
 
Is there any reason why they can’t be with you while you do your various chores and tasks?
Like cooking together, doing dishes together? Involve them in everything.
How was your day at school? Anything interesting happen today?
Let’s go sort the laundry and let me tell you about my day too!

Conversation is what you need, not necessarily more time, When I was the DRE, my teens in Youth Group always said their parents were SO busy they didn’t have time to listen. And if they say it’s super important, say, ok, let’s just stop what we’re doing, and let’s go sit in your room and talk.
No one ever died from burnt dinner LOL

God bless you for realizing that they need just as much attention now as they did when toddlers!
 
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Thank you and God bless you too! It’s interesting, I do talk with each of them, especially with my daughter. My son is 18 so my talks are more motivational geared toward his stsge in life, he doesnt open up very much but he is an excellent listener. School is a sore topic I’m reluctant to go I to too much but aside from school, his future and asking abut his friends I sadly admit I don’t know how else to talk to him to have him open up.
I feel like I’m the one that wants to engage them more but they are ok with the quick chat as soon as their parents get home and then the reconvene for dinner and then sporadically until bedtime. I’m feeling this may be normal because teens like to be in their rooms doing hw or relaxing after their long school day and activities.
I feel in my heart they are ok, we only have a few hours from when I get home until their bedtime, I just want to make sure them being in their rooms alot is normal. They get along great with eachother and we have a great family dynamic and are blessed but they’re always in their rooms.
 
talking is often more about listening. Unfortunately, we have resigned many of our interactions to devices and internet.
Do encourage him to come out and just talk to you about whatever he wants.
Let him talk to you about his buddies, don’t necessarily ask, he may interpret that as disapproval.
Just way something like " who was there at the big game?"
Let him drive the conversation.
I would say it’s typical that young people spend all their time online, but it’s not healthy.
(She said, typing on an internet forum on her day off…:roll_eyes:😃🤣 )

Just try hard to make sure they know you are AVAILABLE to them.
I knew so many parents who I believed were good people, and they had NO CLUE what their children’s beliefs actually are. Kids are catechized and indoctrinated by the web and celebrities.
I won’t tell you the horror stories, but I would see rather conservative posts on FB made by the parents, and then hear the teens conversations or take their questions at LifeTeen and I just knew the parents would weep at the remarks.

Just be there, be open, and be willing to listen. No matter what. They need you. God bless you.
 
Thank you so much. We do tall to them about God and often but before I would despair because, just as you said, I knew have too much media exposure glorifying immoral behavior. I hate to admit that only recently I believed in the power of prayer. I now pray very hard for them and do novenas but I dont feel desperate because I’ve commended them to the Lord but I still worry without despairing, like I used to.
 
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Have a heart to heart with St. Pio. Ask him to accept your family as his spiritual children.
He is a great miracle worker and intercessor with families.
I have never asked him for anything that he did not help me with in a very compassionate and lovely way.
 
Wow thank you. I have been thinking of him lately. Thank you, I will ask him this very evening.
 
pianistclare said:
. Ask him to accept your family as his spiritual children.

He is a great miracle worker and intercessor with families.
Click to expand...
Oh I forgot to ask, after I ask St. Padre Pio, should I do a novena? My husband and I are already doing a Novena and I dint want to overwhelm my mental capacity (I get tired easily). Maybe something else as a thank you to him or do you think it’s not necessary.
 
Thank you. I actually have a little booklet on my bedside called Padre Pio book of prayers. Thank you again
 
Are your kiddos in after school activities?
You need to plan around that, too
 
Hi. No. This year we scaled back from before so we’re all home together by 530. Thank you
 
I actually think that you are really doing well. You talk with your children, you eat together, board games…for teenage kids, that’s really good.

May I suggest taking turns cooking with one of your kids at a time? Plan ahead on the weekend by asking what they would like to make with you for one or two meals. Maybe shop together sometimes. That’s a great time to get some conversation in as well as learn some necessary cooking skills.

My kids are all grown up now. I think you are doing fine.
 
Thank you so much!! I’m a worrier though, always feeling like Im not doing enough at home to engage but after we all chat I do feel good. If we all haven’t chatted I’ll go to their rooms even for a few just to touch base. My husband is good at that thank God. And thank God for all of you!
 
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