6 Best Stay At Home Mom Tips
One of my sisters sent a message via our family group chat letting us know that she was home sick from work that day because she felt like a “fat man was sitting on her uterus”. It was the first day of her menstrual cycle and she was really feeling it. I empathized with my sister because I was feeling the same way if not worse. But the difference was that I am a mother to three young children who needed me to show up for them despite how I was feeling.
My husband left for work at 5:40 that morning and it was up to me to get the kids up, make breakfast, prepare their school lunch, get them ready for school, drop them off and pick them up, etc. And that’s not even half of it.
Being a stay-at-home mom is a busy and unpredictable role, especially when mothering younger children. One week everything is according to plan and you’re able to keep up with everyone and everything in the household, but then the following week one person or everyone is sick, you have to go to this doctor’s appointment, the baby or another child needs extra support, but most importantly, you may not be feeling well or are so exhausted that you don’t have the energy to complete certain tasks. That’s where being a smart and planning mom comes in. Planning for those times when life happens but you still have to follow through with your responsibilities as a mom.
I am going to share 6 main things that keep me afloat as a stay at home mom. These things absolutely make a difference in my day-to-day routine and function, especially since my husband and I have minimal support.
6 Best Stay At Home Mom Tips:
1. Create structure and routine in your household:
Being a stay-at-home parent is a 24/7 role, there are no sick or vacation days, and no time off. And whether you have a supportive village or not, you still have to do all the things for your children day in and day out.
It is even more challenging if you have the breadwinner/caretaker setup in your household because one spouse will be working outside the home most of the day if not all day.
Having structure and a good routine for your kids is paramount as to how well both you and your kids will function in your day-to-day living, particularly mentally and emotionally.
I always say that without structure kids fall apart, well, you know what? So does Mom! Moms also need structure to help them find time to recharge so they can feel less overwhelmed throughout the day.
If you have a good routine set up where your kids have a consistent schedule and do pretty much the same things around the same time every day, that makes a recipe for a thriving environment for both mom and kids.
2. Pick up and put away throughout the day:
Maintaining the home when you have kids is an impossible task, but at the same time, if the home is not somewhat decent, it can get to us mentally.
A cluttered and messy home is not a fun environment to live in. And after my kids are in bed I am so tired and don’t have the energy to stay up to tidy up. What I find useful and much easier is to clean up throughout the day. When I empty the dishwasher first thing in the morning and load it throughout the day, and pick things up as I go, my home is easier to maintain, which makes me feel better about my environment.
3. Stock your freezer
A huge part of a stay-at-home mom’s role is meal planning and prepping. But, you may not always be up for cooking a full meal. Having foods in your freezer that you can rely on when the time comes can be a game-changer for you. Breakfast foods, frozen veggies, frozen fruits, turkey meatballs are a few frozen foods you can stock up on in your freezer. You can even plan to cook something from your freezer once a week to make your life easier.
4. Set early bedtime
Kids need a pretty good amount of sleep to function at a high level. And no matter what time they go to sleep, they always seem to wake up early! Set an early bedtime for your children so that way they get the rest they need and you get the break that you deserve.
5. Tire them out
Always try your best to take them outside. It is recommended that kids spent a good amount of time engaging in outside play. Whether that’s at the park or in your yard, that’s up to you. But these kids have a ton of energy and that needs to be released, the only way for them to do that is by having them run around. Not only that, but they’ll be tired by the end of the day and will fall asleep much easier. And you, too, can enjoy the fresh air and sunlight, which is beneficial for your physical and mental health.
6. Incorporate take-out
If you can afford it, a couple of times a month, order takeout on a busy night to give yourself a break. There’s a deal at a pizza shop near me, a couple times a month I’ll order a large pizza for $7.99 and pick it up to avoid additional fees.
Related posts:
A Simple Stay At Home Mom Cleaning Schedule For A Tidy Home
The Best Stay At Home Mom Schedule For A More Manageable Life At Home
How To Be A Stay At Home Mom: 10 Practical Tips For Thriving At Home
Do Stay At Home Moms Really Need a Break?
6 Best Stay At Home Mom Tips
