If someone asks my how I’m doing, my usual answer is ‘tired’ (I’m trying to fix that). Truth is, like so many, I am busy what is seemingly, all the time. I am a wearer of many hats. I am a full-time working mom while also a stay at home mom, i.e. I am a work from home mom. I am also a student at Western Governors University trying to get my Bachelors degree and also a homeschooler for my girls who started pre-school this year and as a homeschooling parent my biggest concern is making sure my girls get the socialization which involves scheduled activities at our local community; tiny tots basketball, nature lessons at the local park, and soon toddlers soccer. (Just want to clarify that I do NOT homeschool WHILE I am working but do it when I am not working.) All of this is in addition to the usual never ending lists that need to be done. I have two separate mountains of laundry currently, one of clothes that needs to be washed, and the other of clothes that needs to be folded and put away. I have the cooking, cleaning, organizing, and whatever other adulting things that you have to do.

But I am a person of many interests, it is the way I was raised. My parents always encouraged me to try and learn new things and as such I am a big advocate for having hobbies. My reason for this is simple, if I were forced to follow the absolute monotony of the day, work, school, teach, chores, and repeat, I think I would very quickly lose my marbles. I need to break up the repetitive day with activities that are my own, to remind myself who I am again. It is very easy for the title ‘Mom’ to take over your entire identity and get to the point where you sort of forget who you were before you had kids.

We’ve already established that I love to travel and take pictures. But I have many other interests as well. I enjoy gardening, reading, writing (journaling and stories as well). In 2019 I also started to take up crocheting, it all started because I wanted to make a baby yoda for my kids after watching the Mandalorian but then continued because it was a hobby I get from my own mom and I enjoyed showing her my creations and asking for her tips/tricks. It is something I continue to do both, because I love doing it, and as a way to remember her by.

Obviously, living in such a busy world means I don’t have the time to partake in ALL of the hobbies I enjoy on a daily basis. But I make it a point to do something on a daily basis, whether its writing, painting/drawing, or creating something with yarn. I’ve shared these with my girls as well. They will ask me to make themselves or ask to paint/craft. They especially love to paint. I share the things that I like to do and encourage them to do so as well. Granted, this has gotten us in some trouble especially during the toddler years, my walls currently need to be repainted due to their artwork. I once had someone tell me that I was ‘brave’ for having things like markers and crayons inside my house, and yes this person was a parent with younger kids, but I cannot be angry at my girls for doing something that they are just copying from seeing me do. Both their bedroom wall and door are murals. So I can I blame them for thinking that it was ok? We are working on that and for the most part have broken their habits but I definitely don’t plan on discouraging them for pursuing their interests or stopping them from expressing their creativity.

Bottom line is, apart from expressing oneself creatively, hobbies are away to keep yourself grounded after being constantly thrown around by the never-ending to-do lists. As I said above, it’s a way to keep yourself sane. Sometimes its needed to clear your thoughts, where as other times its needed to help you think. Hobbies and interests have so many purposes. If work is especially grinding or frustrating, I enjoy going outside for my dinner break and checking on my garden, I’m new to gardening and not the greatest but have found it very peaceful and rewarding when you get to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I like crocheting when I’m watching a show with Josh at the end of the day, it’s a great way to wind down after a long day. Painting and drawing depend on my moods, those I tend do more when I have a lot on my mind, I don’t know why to be honest but sometimes I feel like that like with journaling, it is the way I organize my thoughts. To summarize, there’s so many reasons for hobbies, don’t let the business of this world take that away, even if you just set aside a few minutes a day.

A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.

Phyllis McGinley