Mom-Friendly Hobbies You Can Try Anytime

I have always wondered how working moms are perceived from the eyes of strong women.  So took the time to look up how strong women like Princess Diana, Maya Angelou, Anita Roddick, JK Rowling and Joyce Meyer regard playing the role of a working mom. But you know how web surfing has a way of leading you to pages that interest you? The past weekdays and weekends have been a crazy ride for me, with coffee dates on catch up plans left and right, movie dates, haircut and bookstore trips with kids, working lunches and social dinners, plus Sofia’s graduation to attend (super happy about being able to squeeze in lash extensions and nails buffed and painted). My non-thinking surfing habit kicked in after my Sunday watch work-from-home mode, and the pages reminded me that summer is just around the corner. This should give moms like me, respite from busy mornings and takes away several things off our to-do-list (e.g. PTC meetings, test reviews, contest preps with kids, join book fairs in school).

This got me started with finding out a list of options about how I will spend my spare time for summer. Alternately doing it with the scheduled swimming trips with fambam, the list below will surely give you more than enough reasons to look forward to summer.

1. Train for a Marathon – This brings me back to times when my husband and I have taken lots of active adventures together and 12 years of marriage is not time to stop. It was a milestone to have climbed up Mount Mayon with my husband with a guide and slept at Camp 2 overnight (with our guide leaving us for the night!). I remember preparing with tons of jogging and running around to get my feet and legs ready for the 5-hour climb. Training for a marathon is something you can squeeze in, in the morning now that school is out, you won’t have to get up so early and spend this free time with an early run with hubby. Quality time with hubby and physical benefits in one.
2. Create Terrariums – I’m not sure about you, but there is something that sight of terrarium does to me, it reminds me how beautiful any indoor or outdoor space can get as soon as you place bottled/glass-jar-plants together. Not to mention that creating one lets you express your creativity, quiets you and allows you to get the recharging you need for the week. Get soil/sand/rock of different texture and sizes, plants and you are ready to create.
3. Furniture Makeover – Instant makeover idea I have been mulling over to have is to have uniformed black and white lace theme across the rooms in the house. It can be as simple as using a black and white lace dining tablecloth, couch upholstery with the black and white lace fabric or dressing up an accent wall. If black and white lace is not your cup of tea, you can use your preferred fabric colour and design all you like.
4. Update Pictures around the House – You know when you would have all the time in your hands right after you give birth and so almost always, would update all the frames with baby pictures but then never get around to updating the pictures as kids grow up. That is the case with me. Would love to look into family gallery and get creative with how you will hang them or display them around the house. You can veer away from just putting all frames on tabletops, like I do. I am looking forward to creating a gallery wall with tiered planks, along the walls at the staircase or even print them out as a blind for the biggest window in the house.
5. Recycling Projects – I actually have a long list I will work on: logs from cut and trimmed trees to be used as planters or backyard chairs. Husband’s old car tires I can turn into outdoor chairs or a mini sandbox for my David! And of course, ending a school year, there are the old workbooks that the younger kids will never be able to use. The plan is to paint all the workbooks solid white, and upcycle them as a nightstand. I can also cover and snack boxes with book pages and automatically create shabby chic accessory. 

Hobbies do not need to be expensive, just remind yourselves that a hobby is not as fun or not as meaningful when done alone. Have your spouse and the kids join in. Take pictures and add them to your growing list of daily joy. Summer officially starts now!