Survival Guide for a Stay at Home Mom( PART TWO )

I shared part one of this series here
Here goes part two:

1.  Plan ahead: Make a plan the night before. This makes it much easier. Don’t wake up and think, “Oh, I wonder what we should do today or what we would eat today?” When you have a kid needing your attention. Have a meal timetable, pick out their clothes for the next day ahead, and get the kids into a routine. The bedtime routine works perfectly for me. It starts around 7pm with supper, a warm bath, a bedtime story, prayer and then the lights goes off. The kids are usually asleep between 7:45pm and 8:30pm.

2. Accept help or ask for it:  It is okay to ask for help once in a while. Do not try to be a superman. Let daddy help around the house when available; let a member of your family or a friend baby sit sometimes, while you get some me time. If you can afford it, outsource some of the house chores, like cleaning, laundry, shopping etc, so that you can have more quality time with the kids.

3. Get out of the house. Staying at home all day can make you go ‘insane’. GET OUT of your house. Get fresh air; see fresh faces. And yes, the supermarket counts. Take a walk, go to the mall, do some window shopping.

4.  Network: Be “in the know” of local, free activities; look out for fun activities you and the kids can partake in.There is a free event for mothers coming up here. I am sure it would be fun . Attend church programs, etc. Make new mummy friends at these events. It doesn’t hurt to give your numbers out as this would at least give an avenue for adult conversation.

5. Exercise: This keeps your energy level up. You can also enjoy this with the kids by using a dance video; this is a sure fun activity.

6. Do something for yourself once per week (at least). Being a SAHM is as full time as jobs can get. There are no sick days, there are no lunch breaks. After attending to the kids oohs and waahs , create a little time for yourself, turn the music up, breathe deep and enjoy that much-needed coffee or drink. Leave your kids with your husband, the grandparents, an aunt, or a babysitter and go get a manicure and don’t feel bad about it even for a second. Your kids will be fine and they need a break from you as much as you need a break from them.

7. Make the time you spend with your kids count. Being a SAHM is a special thing, but eventually it will expire. Eventually you will either go back to work or your kids will be all grown up. Be a kid again. Get on the floor and play. Go outside and run around silly. Put on some music and dance. When possible, try not to worry about the cooking and cleaning. Let it be worthwhile.