Birmingham

Ok so does anyone have a "social life" as well as being a mum? it's my birthday on Saturday and trying to fit in a bit of time to celebrate is harder than I thought....

I don't have much of one to be honest...and when I do get a chance to go out I'm normally too tired or hubby's work gets in the way... Luckily we have a child friendly pub across the road from our house, complete with playground, so we often head over there for a meal. Because the children can play outside, hubby and I get to chat, and because we walk there, we can both enjoy a glass of wine. But as far as grown up, high heels and fancy frock nites-out are concerned - no! I try to fit in girlie lunches a couple of times a month which reminds me a little of who I was pre-children :) I really must get a decent babysitter, but that's easier said than done I think! Enjoy your birthday whatever you get to do.

I do now that my little boy is older. When he was much younger I never craved the need of girls nights out or time alone with my hubby, I just really enjoyed every single moment with my family. We of course like everyone else adapted our entire life to fit into his routine however with age we have now adapted a very good balance and manage to socialise. That being said does not impy we are out every week or I'm off with the girls. We have childless friends who come over to our home every weekend. We sit & talk, have dinner & play with my son whether that be on the trampolene or with his star wars figures (it helps that his daddy & his daddy's friend love star wars too) etc etc. We play games & usually take it in turns to read him a story and once I put him to bed the fun & games continue. Last Friday evening when I put my son to bed we adults ended up with a box of Bendaroos and made flowers, specticals & bikes etc......also in hand was a glass of wine and we had the music on so we had a good old giggle. We have been known to play pictionary, Seen it, Game of Life and Guitar Hero being a personal fav of mine....not forgetting our "dancing room".
We meet with friends who have children and walk 4 miles along the canal to a lovely country pub collecting fir cones, sticks etc and have been known to collect Damsons from which I made batches of Damson Jam. We light the children up in the dark afternoons of winter with glow sticks and reflecting arm bands and they play "light sabers" all the way home. They of course are shatterd, we have had a lovely afternoon out & meal and we have managed to see friends.
We spent a lot of time at Trentham Gardens last year...again with friends and sat out in front of the lake watching band tributes & movies etc. The children played and we had a candle lit picnic and wrapped ourselves up in blankets.

I do go out to see friends every fortnight or so, even if its just a quick coffee or nipping over to their house once my son is in bed. I also go running with friends too. Last year I had lots of friends getting married so I was lucky to have a couple of girls weekends away which was just great. I got to be "me" for a few days instead of Mum, Wife & Accountant.

We don't watch TV so the hours of my evening are filled with housework etc & preparing the next day's meals so that we have early evenings & entire weekends to ourselves as a family.

We only have one child and my sister helps with my son for a few hours after school twice a week. We have each others children if we have an event coming up but its not often that my husband & I get to go out alone.

I'm sure you will have a great birthday Toni with your gorgeous family but i'm sure tyring to get 4 children babysat is very difficult. Perahps girls nights in would be better suited and romantic meals for two at home when the children are in bed? Perhaps a living room floor picnic with cheese, wine & biscuits by candlelight?
A few subtle hints to Simon should do the trick! :)

I feel we have created a very careful balance of working/ family time and have managed to satisfy socialising within this.

gosh you two have it down to a T.... I think as both simon and I end up working unsociable hours we spend most of our non-working time with the children which we planned and is wonderful but most evenings at least one of us is working :( George is only 2 though and having done this a few times before I know it gets easier.... My parents are having the three bigger ones on saturday overnight so Simon, George and I can head to wonderwool in wales for the day/stay over but no dancing involved!

I never had girls nights when the bigger two were young, so I could never miss it really. For my 30th, a week or so before Oscar was 1 my friends dragged me out. Only for a meal and a cocktail or two but I really enjoyed it. Since then I have found a lovely, and ever-growing new group of friends and we go out about once every 6 weeks or so. Usually just a meal and take turns to drive so the others can have a glass of wine. We have done one or two tribute nights and a disco, one friend organises charity nights, balls an so on so we go to those. We have a proper ball later this year with fancy frocks and the works so really lookingforwatd to that!
It surprised me how much I enjoy that shirt ime away from the home & family, just to e able to switch off for a while and be 'Clare' I instead of mama. It makes me more appreciative of my lovely little family. We're actuall out this Sunday eve, one of the group has bogof's for Old Orleans so it makes it a cheap night. Anyone else is always free to join us too, we always have a good giggle!

I think we might have sorted the babysitter problem - have now got details of 2 very keen teenagers who come highly recommended. May well give them a try over the coming weeks :)

Between our work patterns and looking after the kids the closest I get to a social life is sling meet or mums and tots groups!

lol me too wendy!