My daughter is being tested for AS. But she has ODD,ADD. we have 4 kids at home, ages 16 down to 3. anyway my husband is gone during the week,so it is me. I am always up and on the go just around the house. by the time I deal with my daughter and anything else that is going on, plus just your regular housework, and motherly duties, I am ready to drop. I hsve no friends here and I am not involved in anything, Iam busy enough with just our life in general, I try to keep the evening calm and stressfree, does not always happen, I get to bed around 11 or 12. up at 6. I do not nap. people tell me I choose to be this way. I just ignore them, they do not live in my shoes and do not know beans about having a child with issues, plus three more that even though they do not have behaviors they still need you, so yes I do know how you feel, tired and stressed out and ready to fall off the edge of the earth. except your love for your family keeps you going and for me my faith in God,

Time for anything else? Like a social life? What is this mythical social life that you speak of...?

Ok, sarcasm aside, I have time for only two things right now...being a mommy and working full time. Maybe it won't always be like that, but for right now it is.

When I had kids those ages my life was the same way. I only socialized, when I did, on weekends, maybe twice a month. Sometimes I'd stay after work & talk to a colleague, if my husband was home to watch the kids. That was all. No social life is generally possible with several kids, unless you have handy grandparents to help you, or a nanny or babysitter to hire, or you socialize along with your kids, like at Scout meetings and church groups.

Thanks for your replies! I wanted to get an idea of what the norm is for parents with kids. I felt like maybe I was antisocial, but I guess I'm really not.

I do wonder though. I think it's odd how little I talk to my mother during the week, weekends, etc. So, if any of you are still reading this discussion, do you make time to talk to mom, sister, or close friends during the week or is that strictly weekend too?

I thought I was kind of weird because I know of others who chronically talk to their parents. Of course, the one lady, her kids are grown, and my husband, well, I'm watching the kids, and they call him & vice-versa. It's just so much easier for him.

My mom lives close to us and watches my children, so I talk to her every day. The rest of my family lives in other parts of the country and we email sometimes or write, but that's all. My husband's family lives in Alaska also and we talk to them frequently (at least twice weekly by phone...not in person as they are not in the same town).

Our family does "family outings" together with kids,myself and husband, and grandma. And that is social and fun. My husband and I try to have lunch together sometimes during the week as work allows.

As far as friends, I email alot as I am always on my computer for work. I talk to my work-friends during the week. I really don't get to go out with my girlfriends anymore as I did prior to kids. The ones who have kids also understand that, but the ones who don't have kids think I am "antisocial". Just the other day, a friend of my husband's and his girlfriend invited my husband and I to dinner and we couldn't go as we had no sitter that night. They were mad and she called me a "hermit". My husband came to my defense and said "Look, she deals with people all day at work and then comes home and deals with the kids. She doesn't need your s--- also!" Yea, hubby!

That is extremely rude & very not understanding of your friends not to realize how hard it can be to come up with a sitter. Some friends without kids just don't realize how things come up. Kids get sick. Kids have activities. We get sick, have families, etc. I don't blame your hubby for getting mad at your friends. They need to grow up & realize that at least you made the effort, & that it's not the end of the world. You can try again with the sitter. I don't think they realize too that it costs money in addition to having to buy dinner to be able to go out kidless.

I unfortunately don't get together with friends when we have a sitter. I did at first, but then I wasn't getting any opportunities to be alone with my hubby. He was feeling neglected, etc. So we just go alone in the little instances we actually do have a sitter. I'd love to both, but I don't have family nearby to watch the kids.

We have 3 kids at home, ages 8, 6.5 and 5 year olds. I'm a stay at home Mom w/ one of mine still in pre-school and I volunteer a lot. My husband commutes roughly 3+ hours each day. I am non-stop busy when the kids come home from school. With keeping my eyes on them, getting dinner going, homework, art projects, sitting down and listening to them read, bathes, you name it. We go until around 8:00, where we wind down, brush teeth and head to bed. It is then my husband and I have our time.

I talk with a very good friend of mine who is a next door neighbor frequently. Her kids and my kids are the same age and grades. It really helps. We don't really socialize with many people late in the evenings. We do attend a bible study one evening where the kids attend. All our kids go and play in the basement. It's kind of cool too, because there's another couple who have a son with AS. Anyway, it gives my husband and I some nice time to share and visit with other couples. We just started this. We've only let family watch our kids. My family is spread throughout the country, but my husband family is around this area. His mom watches our kids at least once a month so we have a weekend together, which is wonderfully nice. The kids love it, as do we! But, we usually are in contact via email with all family throughout the week whenever we want. I call my Mom and Dad every weekend and my sister and brother about every other. It's just about the best time to catch them it seems. I mean, they have to put their kids to bed and do the homework thing too...you know. We all just seem to lead busy lives. My husband and I have always been very content just going out with ourselves. But, I know what it's like with the day to day duties of motherhood. But, these days will pass. It is our season, I believe - or am I deluding myself...hehe.