How do Chris and Wendy find any time for themselves?

Parents of large families typically have great marriages.

We must be good at this, because we keep having kids! We go out on dates about every-other week. We role a shopping list into a quick meal, and we call it a date. Having teenagers at home able to watch the kids makes this possible. Our hearts go out to parents with very small children; finding a good babysitter is something we haven’t had to wrestle with for many years.

When your children are very small and you feel you need a break, we suggest that you find another family in the same situation. Trade off babysitting afternoons or evenings. We did this many years ago before we had teenage kids. We had a regular schedule worked out with another family so every Friday night we either watched their kids or they watched ours. It was great!

About once every-other year we “get away” to Estes Park for a rendezvous. This last year some friends offered us their log cabin in the winter to enjoy. It was a great blessing!

About Chris & Wendy Jeub

The Jeub Family live in Monument, Colorado, with 14 of their 16 children. They encourage couples to love God and love one another, building an atmosphere of love in their homes.

Kristi

Rather than ask “How does one FIND time for themselves?” say “How does one MAKE time for themselves?” Anyone, no matter how many kids one has will find their time filled. I have friends who don’t have kids who have “no spare time”. One’s time is spent where one priorities are put. My number one priority is my marriage. We place a priority on time alone on a regular basis. If we don’t schedule it in, it won’t happen. We tell our kids that our regular “dates” are what keep us loving each other, which they want of course, so they don’t complain that we take time for each other. Our dates don’t have to cost money either. Sometimes it’s as simple as going out for a walk alone, or going for a drive. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just focused on each other.
Laura W.

I would be lost without what I call “kid-swapping”. I have two friends I do this regularly with. I will call if I need someone to watch my youngest, and offer a payback. For example: Can you take my son this afternoon while I go to the dentist, then I’ll take yours tonight for dinner and some playtime. It works great and I’ve hired a sitter only once. Also since nobody is out any money, it doesn’t make date night suddenly get too pricey to bother with, especially in these tough times.