This week, The 4 Moms are discussing how we accomplish large projects that don’t need little helpers.
Remember when I recently painted this door with dry erase paint?
Or when I showed you this free ugly dresser makeover? (You have GOT to see what this turned into!!!)
Well, painting is one of those kinds of projects that needs to be done sans itty bitty busy hands. In case you don’t believe me, imagine paint on a handmade smocked dress and in hair and on the carpet and the ceramic tile. Imagine footprints of paint leading down the hallway.
Scared?
You should be. It could happen to you, and there’s only one solution:
Benedryl.
Oh, lighten up! I’m only kidding!
But what I’m not kidding about is that it is much easier and conducive to keeping one’s sanity to do major projects, especially if they involve paint, whilst the little ones are slumbering soundly in their beds, altogether unaware of your covert painting ways, lest they bound from their beds and implore you to consent to their participation.
Do not be fooled, young mother. Acquiescing to their pleadings is from the devil and will only cause you untold grief for nigh unto a decade as you look upon the besmirched hand-smocked garment that you spent hours lovingly working on, only to have it permanently splattered with paint.
No! You must, by all means possible, only paint under the cover of darkness during the wee hours while all of the things that belong to the day are fast asleep.
At least that’s how I do it.
Except for this one time when I gave all my kids paint brushes and let them paint whatever they wanted and then framed it.
Whichever works for you.
Now, check out the rest of my 4 Moms/35 Kids team to see how they manage!
And be sure to catch up on all The 4 Moms posts while you’re at it!
Other posts in this series
- How to Easily Cut Homemade Bread
- The 4 Moms Head to Church With 35 Kids
- 4 Moms Answer Reader Questions
- 4 Moms Teach History
- 4 Moms Eat Inexpensively While Traveling
- How To Keep Kids Still and Quiet During Worship
- 4 Moms Answer Reader Questions
- 4 Moms Reveal Where Babies Come From
- Summertime Company Meals
- How to Lose Baby Weight
- Large Family Moms Answer Your Questions
- 4 Moms Choose a Church
- Favorite Naptime or Bedtime Read Aloud Books
- Homeschooling a Child With Learning Differences
- 4 Moms Picnic Linky
- 4 Moms Announce a Book Club!
- Teaching Children Diligence
- 4 Moms Discuss Lunch Menus {Linky}
- 4 Moms Interview Kim Brenneman, Author of Large Family Logistics
- 4 Moms Discuss "Large Family Logistics"
- 4 Moms Discuss Managing the Week ~ Large Family Logistics
- 4 Moms Review Chapters 28 - 47 in Large Family Logistics
- 4 Moms Finish Reviewing "Large Family Logistics"
- The 4 Moms Keep Our Patience in the Midst of Chaos
- 4 Moms Pack a Lunch
- 4 Moms Discuss Memorizing {and 2 GIVEAWAYS}
- Keeping Up With Housework in the Midst of Homeschooling
- 4 Moms Tackle Large Projects
- 4 Moms Q & A
- Food Storage For Large Families
- Best Vehicle For a Large Family
- 4 Moms Celebrate Thanksgiving
- Preparing Children to Deal With Differing Beliefs
- Favorite Holiday Recipe {Linky}
- 4 Moms of 35 Kids Go Christmas Shopping
- 4 Moms of 35 Kids Answer Reader Questions
- How Do You Organize ALL Those Clothes?
- 4 Moms Q&A
- Encouragement For Homeschoolers
- 4 Moms Share Favorite Desserts
- 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Your Questions
- 4 Moms Discuss Storing Keepsakes
- Ebook SALE! {Goes Live at 11:00a.m. CST}
- 4 Moms Answer Questions From Readers
- 4 Moms Make Time to Manage the Budget
- 4 Moms Manage Blogging Time
- What Do Large Families Do About Tithing, Saving for College, and Saving for Retirement?
- 4 Moms Q&A Time
- Large Family Moms Homeschool Through Chronic Illness and Pregnancy
- Large Family Moms Serve Leftovers
- Favorite Frugal Tips of Large Family Moms
- How Do Large Family Moms Manage Everything? {4 Moms Q&A}
- Homeschooling Through Bad Attitudes
- Teaching Children to Cook
- How Did Large Family Moms Know They Could Handle a Large Family?
- How Do Large Family Moms Keep Their Energy Up?
- Favorite Freezer Meals
- 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Discuss Dating and Courtship
- How Do You Manage the Home While Nursing a Baby?
- How to Begin Homeschooling With a 5 Year Old
- How Do Large Families Handle Older Children Disciplining the Younger Children?
- 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Reader Questions
- What To Do About Tattling
- Favorite Fruit Recipes {LINKY}
- 4 Moms Discuss First Weeks With a New Baby
- 4 Moms Answer Questions About Sharing, Boys, College, and MORE!
- 4 Moms Handle Different Standards Between Husband and Wife
- Kids and Electronics - What Age and How Much is Too Much? {4 Moms}
- 4 Moms Discuss Food Preservation
- 4 Moms Discuss Laundry, Labor, and Clothes Management
- Large Families Keep Up With Technology
- Giving Food as Gifts
- 4 Moms Answer Questions About Christmas
- Quick and Easy Christmas Crafts
- Quick and Easy Holiday Recipes
- 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Questions on Preschool, Homeschooling with a Newborn, and More
- On Encouraging Self Sufficiency in Children
- 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Questions
- 4 Moms Answer Reader Questions
- 4 Moms Talk Buddy System, Dinner Recipes, Hand-Me-Downs, and Sharing
- 4 Moms Q&A - Birthdays, Switching Seasonal Clothes, and Grieving a Stillborn Baby
- 4 Moms Discuss Difficult News Stories, Naptime, and Sleeping Through the Night
- 4 Moms Answer Questions About Personal Space, 15 Passenger Vans, and Dawdling
- 4 Moms of 35+ Kids Answer Questions About Seating Arrangements, Snacks, and Books
- 4 Moms Answer Questions About Sharing, Church, and Extreme Honesty
{ 2 comments }
I have to hand it to you! While my mom only had 3, she did all her projects, class party baking, sewing, etc. while we slept. I can. not. do. it.
I am such a morning person it’s not even funny! I have 3 of my own and I will fall asleep in my chair with the laptop before they even take a shower…it’s sad. But I can grocery shop at Walmart at 6:30 am or go get new dress shoes for a child who has to dress up for school and just realized that his shoes no longer fit! That would be a Walmart run too. hey if you wait til last minute to try them on then “you git what you git and you don’t throw a fit!” That’s my motto!
Keep up the great midnight projects!!
The “while they sleep” strategy seems very popular, and is also often what I resort too so far. The only problem w/that is that I don’t know when to stop and will stay up too late… which tends to backfire.
Thank you so much for replying to my question. I really appreciate it.
Your dresser makeover is quite impressive. And I pinned your idea for letting the children paint on the wall so I don’t forget it, b/c I might do that when we move someday…
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