SAHM's...help! I Need a Hobby.

I walk 4 miles every morning...and then come home and do the usual cleaning/picking up. Then after the house is to my liking, I knit, crochet or cross stitch. Then if I get bored with that I will read. Now that Spring is coming, I'll be getting back into working with my flowers/yard work. Anything to keep busy :)

Get on my treadmill, go shopping (more like browsing), play DS (yes, I am addicted to Mario), read, gardening...

Most of my time is used up with cooking, laundry, cleaning and grocery shopping - LOL! I volunteer at my kids school once a week. That helps pass the time. I try to organize lunches with friends once a week. I go to the gym. I am also thinking about taking a cooking class or two. I have seen things for craft classes at Michael's and Hobby Lobby. I have never taken one, but they look interesting.

Hope this helps!

i'm a sahm but have change my title to stay away from home mom. i volunteer at my son's school. not for his class. but for another grade. i go in twice a week to help the kids who have gotten behind in their work. i also help at my church and have lunch with my mom once a week. i take my mil grocery shopping once a week. and that takes up a good portion of my day!!! you don't have to have hobby just volunteer some place!!

meals on wheels is ALWAYS looking for volunteers!!!!!! I also started a transportation, babysitting and meals ministry at my church to help the elderly (who DON'T drive) or people who don't have family who are having medical proceedures that they can't drive themselves to or from - they call the church and an e-mail goes out to those who have signed up to help when they can!!! The meals are for people who are sick, lost a loved one or who have family in the hospital. If you want to know more about it - I'd certainly be willing to give you specifics. The babysitting comes for funerals, or any emergency that it's required.

We also make prayer shawls - either knit or crocheted for those with terminal illnesses or sickness that seems to "hang on".

I also make bookmarks - I'm not real "crafty" and it's just putting some beads on a piece of waxed linen and tying knots!!! With the new "books" though, they may be obsolete before long ....ha ha!!!

I'm a DIGITAL scrapbooker. You do it on the computer. It's cheaper because you don't have to buy the tools, and there are a lot of free downloads. Also, once you buy a digital piece of paper, you can use it as many times as you want. You can't use up your supplies! The ABSOLUTE BEST part for me, though, is that you don't have to clean up. Holy cow, there's so much cleaning up we have to do, who wants a hobby that requires it, too? Oh, and your hard drive is a lot easier to store than all those fancy scissors and paper.

I also love craftiness for my house. Crafty has come a LONG way since the days of toll-painting wooden dolls. A Lot of it is thrifty home decor. There are a billion blogs out there with instructions and ideas that are all cross-linked. Here's a few to get started.
http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/04/tutorial-how-to-h...
http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com
http://www.theidearoom.net (look for crepe paper kissing balls--super fun! I have some hanging from fat ribbons from my ceiling over the guest bed)
http://snippetsofwonderful.blogspot.com/2010/06/washer-ne...

ADDED
I forgot to mention that digital scrapbooking also has a great online community, with contests and online classes, live chats, and challenges, etc. I started at DigitalScrapbookPlace.com and even became a designer for them for a while (by winning one of the contests) Super fun, and you get to "meet" people from all over the world!

I run long distance with a group of women. We meet 3-4 mornings a week. We are all training for a marathon together and next year a 50 miler. It is absolutely wonderful to train for a race, set a goal with a group of women and achieve it. While we run we talk about life, marriage and our kids. It makes me a better mom and wife to be a part of a group like this - AND it's good for me!

I volunteered so much at the school that they ask me to become a substitute. I applied, was qualified and have been subbing (my choice when to do it) for 10 yrs.

I still volunteer and am currently President of the Booster club for the cheerleaders. Great way to meet people, keep your skills up... fundraising, public speaking, etc.

I'm taking guitar lessons. My son loves the sound and has been asking for lessons for himself. So...I think this may end up becoming a mom/son thing instead of a me think LOL!

Spare time??? What in the world is that?? hahaha

Whenever I can I read. And when the mood strikes me (and I have more than 10 minutes to myself) I love to write as well. All my girls are still at home, but my husband promised me a full year after the youngest goes to school for me to stay home and write. After that, I need a job :o) lol

I make stained glass windows, glass wall art, and now mosaics. I also have a great group of gIrl friends I met through taking a lamp work beading class. I have a painting class I attend on Fridays. I am also involved in "The Art Goes to School" program at school. I also frequently visit my husband's aunt who is in an assistant living facility and I am learning to play the piano with my girls. I read a lot too.

Also, my home is 10 years old so I am starting to redecorate. I am painting the walls and we are having wainscoting put in. In a few weeks I will be cleaning up the gardens around my house.

I ended up loving glass but it took me a while to find something I was passionate about. Try looking into the Community Ed programs through your local schools. Ours has photography classes, knitting, decorating, 2nd language, financial planning, belly dancing classes that all look interesting too. Have fun! What a great opportunity you have.

I found that there are not enough hours in the day to do all I want to do.

My kids are in Public School and they always seem to need parent volunteers for one thing or another so I am a volunteer art docent and teach art to both of my kids classes. I also volunteer in children's ministry at church and work with the womens fellowship group. My love of kids and Art has actually led me to remodel my garage and turn it into an art studio. I now have 18 students and am growing.

I coupon in orer to lower our grocery bill. It's a thrill to see how much I can save.

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volunteering is very rewarding in any field of your choice. i enjoy rubberstamping and crafting. i also really love couponing(i know it shouldn't be considered a hobby but its so cool when you can treat coupons like your own money i have a binder)

I picked up the guitar. You can play by yourself, write your own music, or have sing-alongs with the kids!

Hi! Well, I've worked from home for almost 9 years, so that takes up some time during my day. Right now, I'm learning the Wordpress blog. I started a Meetup group called The Woodlands WAHMs and we do things together. I workout 3 mornings a week. I volunteer at my 3 girls' schools. I make hair bows for my 2 oldest girls' volleyball teams. I bling stuff for my youngest's dance classes. Right now I'm reading The Leader Who Had No Title. And I sometimes take a shower! Lol!

As a stay at home mom I enjoy my time helping others live health. Instead of just going to the gym I created THB DANCE and teach three days a week.I also educate moms about the toxins in their home with my MOMS GO GREEN group. My point is sit down and find your passion and make a hobby out of it.

I make jewelry, learning to sew, I like to repaint old furniture, read, write, volunteer with Big Bros Big Sisters, go to the ymca... you can learn digiscrapbooking

When my son was about 9 months old I taught myself to sew. It started because I wanted new toss pillows for our sofa but could not afford to spent $30 plus dollars per pillow. So I found fabric and a pattern and taught myself how to make them. I now make pajama pants in all sort of fun prints for my son, husband and myself. Now I am making fun cotton summer skirts and simple sleevless tops for myself. My son is now 2 and I sew when he his napping and it keeps me sane. I wait for places like Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's Fabrics to have a sale then I buy enough fabric for several projects. I enjoy getting to be creative and it even saves our family some money because I can get fabric cheaper than going to the store to buy these items. Plus no one else will be wearing the same thing. My husband says I should start a business, lol!

As all moms, I'm pretty busy with home management, but I do carve out set times on set days to do things for myself. I found that I was beginning to feel like I was losing myself, which isn't healthy for me, doesn't help our marriage, and doesn't give the best example for my children. So I do set aside time to better myself or enjoy myself now, and it's a bonus when it's something the kids or husband can join in on if they want.
I started a little vegetable garden and incorporated it into a "science" for my 4 year old to learn as well. My 1 year old sits in his little patch of dirt with a bucket and shovel and enjoys himself, and my 4 year old goes back and forth between playing and helping me prepare the dirt, planting, etc. When I'm alone, I like to just enjoy being outside and relaxing some. This year I am going to practice canning.
I have started exercising. If my oldest is in his 3 day/week school, I take the baby in a stroller and we walk. I try to keep track of how far I go and how long it takes to get there, sort of a private competition with myself. We end up at the playground at some point so my little one can play and I chat with moms there. If my oldest is home, we take bike rides together. I have a little seat on my bike for the baby and we do family bike rides which are nice. You can train for a charity 4k or something like that.
I do enjoy scrapbooking and getting to use a little creativity. You can go to a class at Michaels or scrapping night in your church, Michaels, or elsewhere in your community if you'd like to do it with others.
I've always LOVED reading and think it's a great example to let the kids see the parents reading regularly. I've started writing a little, things for my MOPS club newsletter and my own "public" journal. I go to MOPS club twice a month and love hanging out with other moms from there. When my youngest son is older and in preschool, I'll begin volunteering at school and helping out where I can. In the meantime, there are some great opportunities through our church that both my husband and I do, and even better when the kids can be a part of it so they can learn too.
This fall I'm going to be a leader in a home Bible study through our church. My husband bought me an awesome camera and the store we bought it from gives free classes on how to use it and some basic photography tricks. I signed up and will start those in March. I've always been interested in photography, so I'm excited about that! Our whole family uses Rosetta Stone to learn Spanish, it's a family activity.
My husband loves to read and plays tennis on weekends, and joined a kayaking club. I join him for kayaking when we have someone to watch the boys. We have a pond in our backyard and fish with my 4 year old. My husband and 4 year old are both in martial arts.
Someday, I'd like to try my hand at woodworking and piano but not now. Enough on my plate for the moment.

I like scrapbooking, but I get tired of it. I got into cupcake and cake decorating. Love it. =)

I love to scrapbook and take pics! I also like baking (best when you can share them with friends so you don't eat them all yourself LOL). I did a little stamping and card making when my hubby was deployed last year and I think I'll take that up when he leaves again in a couple months. I like meeting up with my friends for coffee and chit-chat. I also play some games on facebook and I have a few video games I like. I've sewn some simple stuff for my kids like dress up type clothes or pillows. I also like to read, and I'm planning on going back to college part time this fall =) Oh, and I actually enjoy doing yard work (weird, I know!), and I'm a gun nut so I like to go to the range, too! And I just joined a walking club with some moms in my area! Yes, I have a lot of hobbies, but I'm one of those people who gets bored easily, so I will put one hobby to rest for awhile and do something new or something I haven't done in awhile. And with both my kids in school now and my hubby gone all the time due to the Army, I just HAVE to keep busy or I'll go nuts!

Check out photography. Most of us dabble somehow in it even if it is with a disposable one. You might invest in an inexpensive camera. There are lots of blogs and informational helps on-line and it will be something you can do that will enhance what you're doing with the children already. Photos of them at school, play, etc.

I ride my horse- it's exercise, mental therapy and socialization ( I ride with a group) all at once.
Read- magazines when things are crazy, books when things are calm.
I started a drawing project - just for me- I draw EVERY day for about 20 minutes. I bought a small sketchbook and sit down to draw before bed or when I get a minute. Then I take a photo of what I am drawing and tape it in the book next to the picture. My goal is to fill the sketchbook (100 pages) and then move on to maybe watercolors or a larger sketch book.
Blog- although I am a novice at it.
Love my iPad for filling random moments. Word games or Spider Solitaire. Games are also good for decompressing before bedtime.
Digital scrapbooking to organize those photos.
When I'm REALLY inspired and have oodles of time- rearranging furniture, painting rooms, moving pics on the walls.
Lunch with friends!! Keeps me feeling adult.

I love to challenge myself and when I succeed I feel so rewarded. The way I did it was running 5ks. Your looking at someone who has never ran a day in her life and decided to pick it up. I had fun with it. Bought running shoes, got running magazines, found a friend who did it and carpooled to the events. Most of the events give out t-shits that let everyone know you ran the 5k so thats a little rewarding to show that off even though your not going to win thanks to all those skinny athletic africans that run the darn things. lol But it's a fun hobby and a lot of the runs give you time chips to wear so you know how long it took you to run it and you can set goals at beating your previous times. Most of the runs are for good causes too so all the money goes to charity usually. My favorite is the 5k for colon cancer. My dad had bladder cancer and I run in honor of him by wearing his name on my shirt. I also love gardening every summer. I grow big tomatoes and cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, corn, cantelope, watermelon, etc. It saves a lot of money at the store too. My husband tills the ground and I plant the seeds and organize it how I want. We love it and look forward to spring every year.

Join a running club.

I sew, sell Scentsy (wickless candels) & scrapbook. Love all three! If you'd like to join my team (http://santhoff.scentsy.us) let me know. Its a GREAT way to meet lots of people by having vendor shows a few times a year.

Volunteer at your children's school. It will have such a positive impact on them to see you level of involvement. Also, exercising, reading, gardening and doing special, out of the ordinary things for your hubby and/or kids.

Find what you can do to be involved at your kids' school. I loved seeing my kids around their classmates and knowing who my kids were referring to when they told great stories when they came home. Your kids will love being one of the few kids that has their mom available for field trips, class parties, etc. (especially as they get older). I loved having a personal relationship with each teacher as they knew me as someone there to help them. It makes it so much easier to work with the teachers to help your kids through difficulties.

I wish I had thought out what would have been good to do way back when. I wish my photos were better organized so when my child came home throughout the grade school years and needed a photo of him or her doing ___, I could have found it in a hurry. Or when my daughter needed a collage for high school graduation, that we could have found the photos right away. It was a busy time to have to spend going through boxes...

I also wish I was better organized with all the paperwork at the beginning. I have always felt inundated with all the papers the kids brought home, along with the mail, etc. I would recommend you get a good plan together. (Perhaps you are one of those organized types!)

Also, get in a routine, if you aren't already, to exercising daily. It will really help to be in the habit when your metabolism slows down. You won't have a ton of weight to lose either.

Planning and cooking good meals is also a great hobby. I love getting and sharing recipes with others.

And as others have suggested - volunteer. Anytime you feel down, it is the best pick-me-up ever as you take the focus off yourself and do something for someone else.

church biblestudy, sewing, working at the nursery at church to help out, gardening (grow your own veggies/herbs), being a 'room mom' and helping at school (I was a teacher and wish I had someone to help me grade papers or make photocopies or cut out die-cut letters or make bulletin boards).

I started writing an online cookbook when I was a SAHM. When my mom was a SAHM, she spent tons of time volunteering for local agencies.
Good luck!!

I "scrapbook" magnets. I take a favorite picture, glue it to a piece of paper, use stickers to personalize it, laminate it and put a magnet on the back. They make great gifts. I've heard of digital scrapbooking but, I've never checked it out. I like the glitter in the stickers. Hobby Lobby often has stickers for 50% and they have a great selection.

Hi C., I felt I had lost a little of myself after the baby and needed a way to reconnect with the world. I was introduced to Bellamora and now I have made new friends, making great money, found a purpose and myself again...I couldn't be happier to have the best of both worlds. I am able to give my full attention to my beautiful daughter and still be successful as a woman and stay true to myself. If you are interested I'd love to get you more information! You can email me at ____@____.com Hope to hear from you! `B.

Oh, I've got LOTS of hobbies: cleaning, cooking, laundry..........

Seriously, about the only things I consider "hobbies" for me are reading and walking. Boring, I know.

When my first daughter started kindergarten, I became pregnant and had my second:-) (ha-ha, God's little joke). But in the last 16 years, I have run an antique business, volunteered at church, and volunteered at school, but not necessarily all at the same time. Currently, I'm doing a little volunteer work at church and school, joined a women's gym and recently started working 4-6 hours a week at a consignment store as a webmaster.
Start out with one thing, start out small, and see what grows/goes from there.

I paint and make tiles and sell them at craft fairs. Do you like to sew or do anything artsy? It's so fun to have a booth at a craft fair and sell things you have made! :) Or you can make things for yourself or for family members. If you walk through a JoAnnes or other craft store does it give you any fun ideas for making things? I also exercise as a hobby but never feel like I can do it enough. I think it's very fun to bike ride or ski or climb or run. I also love to meet another mom friend for coffee or to hang out. You could get a part time job while the kids are in school - at a bookstore or wherever you think would be a nice place to work.

Right now there is no such thing as time for hobbies. But when I was SAHM to only one child I did fine art (painting). Actually made a supplemental income with it too. If you go to a good art store and work in acrylic instead of oil, it would be easy enough to get started. But I recommend a C.C. class to get you going.

Started a home business that was a hobby at first and then exploded (still only concentrate 10-15 yrs a week on the business), scrapbooking, miscellaneous home projects.

I just took up sewing about 6 months ago and I LOVE it! I took a few lessons to learn the basics and now I just download free tutorials from the internet and practice making things. I am just starting to tackle patterns and so far, so good! I have made skirts and a dress for my daughter, PJ pants for both of my kids, tote bags, crayon rolls, aprons and I am working on a carrying case for my yoga mat. I just love the satisfaction that comes with knowing that I MADE something out of just a piece of fabric. Very rewarding and the stuff has been so cute! Anyway, that's what I do with myself when I can find the time. I do like scrapbooking also, but I find that more frustrating since I am not all that creative. I usually have to scrapbook with a buddy so that I can run ideas by them before I do something. Sewing is something that I can do on my own and still be successful and happy with the outcome. Good luck and have fun!

Oh, and I love the ideas people gave about volunteering. That is definitely something I plan to do when my kids are in school. I did it before they were born and I miss it terribly. It is such a rewarding feeling to know you are doing something for someone else (besides your immediate family). I would definitely try to do something like that for a couple of hours every week.

I actually just quit scrapbooking because it was becoming SO time consuming and expensive. I made a trip to the scrapbook store that cost me $80 for a new book and a few pages for both my kids and I was dreading doing it. Now I do their memory book at Shutterfly and it's much more fun for me, less expensive and really beautiful.

Just a thought from a former scrapbooker before you dive into it :)

Blogging, scrapbooking, further education, part time job....I got my birth doula certification and will be getting my childbirth education certificate and lactation consultant.

Enjoy!

I read, sew, and garden in my spare time. For me those are relaxing and fun. They are also things that I can walk away from if something comes up that needs my immediate attention. I've learned that is important when you have kids, even when they are in school.

I agree with the people who suggested volunteering your time wherever your heart is: food pantry, nursing home, etc.. I work at a warehouse sorting books for a resale shop that supports our local crisis pregnancy center once a month. It is a huge blessing to me and I've made some good friends.

Yay..it is so good to hear of other SAHM's finding outlets for themselves that they enjoy doing...your own hobbies. I think there is a stigma out there that all we do is housework/kids and that there isn't time for self improvement/fulfillment. I have two in school and another starting this fall. I am already gearing up for abit more time to do the things I would like to do. I already do many of these things but will have more time soon.

Make a list of things you enjoy doing...and things you would like to do or learn to do. Then start checking off your list!

Here is what I like to do:
I plan to go out more regularly with girlfriends and my sister and mom for lunch dates.
Read more...I love to read!!!
Volunteer even more at the school
Exercise...maybe with a group. I enjoy running and walking with friends.
I love to garden and be in my yard and will tinker around even more.
Volunteer more at my church
Volunteer at various charitable organizations within my community along with other SAHM's

Your time will fill up...enjoy your alone time so that you are refreshed and energized when your kids come home from school and need you.

I quilt or read and volunteer at the school.

three words : Pencil by number

video games, I love them. I tried scrapbooking and it required me to be organized and I do not want to have to be organized in order to enjoy myself so ... I play video games, I can get online or stay offline, turn on my PS3 put in a disc and get to it! Plus when you are done no clean up nothing but save and turn off.