Anyone ever feel this way?

Over the last 2 weeks I have been wishing at times I did not have kids. I am so stressed out over taking care of my son, 1, and my daughter 9. When she was in school I only had to watch Chris which was fine he has down time. Sammy on the other hand is home for school vacation and I am just dying trying to keep her with things to do. Hubby is gone at least 4 days each week as it is race season and he is in Canada or California or some where in between. I have been a stay at home mom for 1 1/2 years now and am amazed at how hard it can be at times. When I was working I had time to myself let alone it was the drive to and from work. I do not have any me time and have not found a way to get any. Just getting a shower in is hard enough. I try to relax at night but when I finally sit down once they are in bed something always happens, the dog throws up, Chris wakes, Sammy come in to complain about something half an hour after going to bed. I feel I need to get away but have no one to watch the kids. Any ideas?

I wish I had some advice, Munchie, but I can tell you that those feelings are totally normal. I pretty much constantly worry that IF dh and I have kids that this is exactly how I'll feel, and I can almost guarantee it will be. I have the utmost admiration for you, and all the ladies here who are raising kids - it seems like the most daunting job in the world to me.

Is there ANY way that you could find someone who knows of a good babysitter? Sounds like you're massively in need of a day to take care of yourself, even if that just means having a long bath and then getting a paper or a book and sitting down in a cafe with a big capuccino for a few hours.

When I was 9 I was so busy.  How about day camps?  Went to loads of those - for dance, crafts, music lessons, etc.  Lessons - lots of those, too.  Art, swimming and the like. 

We also learned early on how to entertain ourselves, and it's a skill I'm very grateful to have been taught, for it's served me well in adulthood.  Put the older one in a few art lessons.  Then get her a paint set or pencils and tell her to go amuse herself.  9 is old enough to not need constant attention from Mom.

Our 2-year-old daughter is out at least three days a week and sometimes - playgroups, TumbleTots, swimming.  I check and find out whenever any of the museums, libraries or tourist attractions have something going - most of the time it's free and gets them out for at least a few hours. 

How about joining a gym?  Many of them have a creche for kids for a small fee. 

My mom's secret (she was a SAHM) to having time to herself was to carve it out for herself by keeping the kids involved in activities. 

As for the getting up, there're several ways to deal w/that.  Revoking privileges for getting up too many times is one way to do it.  My folks didn't care if we didn't go to sleep after lights out, so long as we didn't bother them.  When we were younger and complained about being 'bored' or 'not tired', my dad would then come in w/the Rosary.  B/c if you weren't tired, then you had time to pray.  And once he got started, we had to stay up thru the entire prayer.  We learned quickly to occupy ourselves in bed. 

I second the day camp.  The Girl Scouts and YMCA usually run some good ones.  If it's a local camp, she could make some friends and take turns having friends come over and going over their house.  Libraries also used to have reading group and movies in the afternoon once or twice a week. 

Growing up we always got kicked out into the back yard.  We learned how to have our own fun and make friends with the neighborhood kids.

I feel I need to get away

Of course you feel that way, you live in Wisconsin!   Milwaukee-born girl speaking here.

Everyone has great ideas and states-specific, too.  What are her friends doing this summer?  Maybe some ideas there?

Good luck.  Everyone feels ambivalent about parenting sometimes, and life is usually about living in the tension of opposite states simultaneously. 

 When we were younger and complained about being 'bored' or 'not tired', my dad would then come in w/the Rosary.  B/c if you weren't tired, then you had time to pray.  And once he got started, we had to stay up thru the entire prayer.  We learned quickly to occupy ourselves in bed. 

I love it! My MIL was a SAHM with  6 children and she insisted that every afternoon she had an hour's rest in her room (I think she listened to Woman's Hour on the radio). The younger children had to rest in their rooms too - once they got to about 5 they had to entertain themselves quietly for an hour (obviously she was on hand if WW2 broke out, but usually it didn't ).

My eldest son often didn't go to sleep untl about 9 or 10, but he had to read or listen to story tapes in his bed.

Could your daughter have a friend to play for the afternoon (which usually means they'll entertain each other) and with any luck the other parent will reciprocate?

As I am the only stay at home mom of my DD friends, so she has no one to play with in the day. The neighbors all have boys under 5, so that doesn't help much as she isn't keen on boys.

No friends live near me for me to get a night out with a sitter.

I spoke with DD last night and told her that I feel very stressed and she understands as she said I have been grumpy. She said she would do her best to be on her own while DS is napping so I can have some peace and quiet. We will see what happens.