Lent and busy moms

Contra Mundum · #1 Feb 22, '12, 1:59 am

I have a baby and a toddler and hardly any time to think, let alone read or take time for prayer. However, I will try and make it work and have decided to pray the penitential psalms every day and to read the Didache (every day a section.) I think this can be done in about half hour or so.

I'd love to hear what have busy moms planned for this Lent. How do you organise your time? When is the best prayer time for you?

SummerSmiles · #2 Feb 22, '12, 10:16 am

Actually, I plan to spend a good amount of time teaching my children to pray and teaching them about Jesus' sacrifice for us. I find that by explaining it, I come to a deeper understanding of it. And putting it into 3-year-old language is fun, too! When I talk to them about making little sacrifices it reminds me to do them as well. I try to have little reminders of the Lenten season around the house. For example, I'm working on putting pictures of each of the Stations of the Cross on 3X5 notecards and we will be hanging them in the stairwell. We're making a crown of thorns together to be a centerpiece for the dinner table. My kids both really enjoy saying the Rosary, so we'll probably be saying it frequently together.

Snugglebugmom · #3 Feb 22, '12, 10:41 am

I know where you are coming from, I have a 6 year old, a 3 year old and a 4 month old. I pray the rosary when I put the baby down for his afternoon nap, and before I go to sleep at night I pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. He is used to being prayed to sleep!
I wanted to do a Lenten bible study online, but I find it almost impossible to come up with a half hour's worth of "free time" during the day, and at night the baby is quite fussy and requires constant holding. So I just steal a minute here and there for prayer, and I talk to my kids a lot about Lent, Easter, the Passion, and everything else that comes up. My oldest goes to a Catholic school and she always has questions about stories and subjects they are discussing at school. I am going to try and go to the Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings during Lent, and I go to Adoration on Monday evenings. The baby is not happy when mommy leaves the house for an hour, but mommy is a happier person and a better mom that way!

LongingForLight · #4 Feb 22, '12, 4:10 pm

I'm a full-time working mom, pregnant w/ #4, and homeschooling, but my husband is a SAHD who does all the housework - so my time crunch isn't actually all that bad these days. I'm trying to combine saying the Rosary daily with a hobby I've been doing a lot of, crocheting, by making a crochet pattern that will allow me to track my prayers with stitches instead of beads, so I can make an afghan as I pray for the recipient during Lent. I'd like to do a Rosary a day as part of a novena, but expect to fail during labor / childbirth / early post-partum and will probably have to restart once things calm down again (oh well! More Rosaries, more crocheting .. . that would be a shame

).

I'm also working to simplify my eating habits - less meal prep, so I have more time for prayer and reflection and my husband (who does most of the cooking) has more time with his family.

And, I'm giving up Facebook - another time-waster. Again, the hope is to have more time for things that matter more.

Kelfa28 · #5 Feb 22, '12, 7:47 pm

Not a mom quit yet...but I'm expecting my first in the middle of Lent. I'm hoping that I can keep up with my daily rosary prayers and reading the scriptures when I do have her.

BTW, Longingforlight

Quote:

I'm trying to combine saying the Rosary daily with a hobby I've been doing a lot of, crocheting, by making a crochet pattern that will allow me to track my prayers with stitches instead of beads, so I can make an afghan as I pray for the recipient during Lent. I'd like to do a Rosary a day as part of a novena, but expect to fail during labor / childbirth / early post-partum and will probably have to restart once things calm down again (oh well! More Rosaries, more crocheting .. . that would be a shame ).

I love this!

Contra Mundum · #6 Feb 23, '12, 1:29 am

Thanks for your comments. I'm happy to know it can be done. I managed to finsh my daily reading and pray the psalm about 11pm last night. I'll try to do it while the kids nap in the afternoon, and leave housework for later. I will try and do my daily chores in the spirit of dedicating it to God, so even the most mundane things I do lead me to Him. Washing the floors will never be the same again

Snugglebugmom · #7 Feb 23, '12, 6:51 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongingForLight

making a crochet pattern that will allow me to track my prayers with stitches instead of beads, so I can make an afghan as I pray for the recipient during Lent.

That's an awesome idea!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contra Mundum

I will try and do my daily chores in the spirit of dedicating it to God, so even the most mundane things I do lead me to Him. Washing the floors will never be the same again

I do this too! Even doing dishes has a higher purpose that way! And FlyLady says:"Housework, even done improperly, blesses your family." (Paraphrasing, but you get the idea.) So two birds with one stone.

SurlyMermaid · #8 Feb 23, '12, 11:10 am

SAHM of 5 here.

I'm trying to cut out tv, not that I watch a lot anyway.

I'm breastfeeding a newborn so I'm trying to read, rosary, etc. during feedings.

Trying to be very frugal and not spend money on any non-essentials and cook simpler, healthier meals.

My teenager and I are doing the "40 bags in 40 days" de-cluttering.

SummerSmiles · #9 Feb 23, '12, 11:41 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SurlyMermaid

My teenager and I are doing the "40 bags in 40 days" de-cluttering.

Is that gathering one bag per day of things to donate/throw out/otherwise get them out of the house?

Contra Mundum · #10 Feb 23, '12, 11:44 am

I managed to do the reading during kids' nap time but only made it through 1 psalm out of 7. I'm still happy with that result and will try to do the same tomorrow.

I love reading about your efforts and ideas. very inspiring.

petitfleur · #11 Feb 24, '12, 6:23 am

If you have access to catholic radio keep it on while doing chores. If not perhaps you can listen on line or get some catholic CDs from church to listen to. It's better than nothing I also steal prayers here and there. I found an app for the rosary that is also auditory so I can play it while folding laundry or some other mundane task. Might not be the same, but it is better than nothing. I know there are lots of CDs out there with the rosary on them.
Odd little coincidence, most days I often look at the clock at exactly 3:33. I learned later about Devine Mercy. Perhaps my guardian angel is prompting me.