What Is Time?

One of the perks with being self employment is the control over our time schedule.   Time, for us, is not managed by one boss who dictates over us but rather by our many customers.  We need to balance work time with personal time.  But, being a good parent was always our number one goal! 

We raised both of our children as self employed parents and we believe they had the best upbringing we could provide.  We were there for all of their field trips, even the overnight ones.  Ron was the elementary school PTA president for two years.  I was also on the PTA board at the elementary school and on the PTSA board at the middle school.  We were both art docents during their elementary years meaning we shared art in the classroom and organized a fun activity for the students which related to the art lesson.  Ron was a boy scout leader.  I was a girl scout leader.  Our children were driven to school in the morning and picked up after school in the afternoons by one of us.  They would come to the shop with us after school so we could monitor their homework and behavior.

L-R: random girl, Alex, Jessica and Ron

During their summer school breaks we would close shop occasionally and all go to Six Flags for the day.  We had season passes to the park.  It was much quieter there during the week.  I'm not a big roller coaster fan.  Get me on it once and I'm fine.  Get me on it twice in a row and I'm toast.  

At some point, the kids were old enough to stay home by themselves for the day while Ron and I went to work.  We would leave a note reminding them to do their chores and such.  Inevitably we would get a phone call saying 'he did this' or she did that'.  Normal kid stuff.
Luckily we all survived the teenage years!

Both of our children are grown and on their own now.  They both have their own lives far, far away.  

It will take a lot of self control when we begin our full time journey to stay on track time wise.  I can already feel myself yearning for the open road and only working when we need to.  We've already agreed that we won't be working nearly as many hours per week.  We'll still have a few bills that need to be paid after all.  We dream of a life filled with recreation and occasional work.  Hopefully our many years of surviving as a business owner has made us stronger. 

I'm excited for the life we will have and it'll be here before we know it.