When making the decision to become a stay at home mom, people tell you about the money issues, they give you tips for keeping your kids happy, and they offer tools for helping you keep a busy home in working order. What many don’t mention, is how incredibly lonely it can be. It is a hard thing to admit, we often feel like our loneliness means that we are unsatisfied with our lives, but that isn’t true at all. Even for working moms and dads, taking care of a family is hard work. For mamas who stay at home, it can be especially difficult. Your feelings of loneliness aren’t bad or uncommon, but they can be overcome. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed and alone, try these tips.
1. Make Mom Friends
Recently, we have discussed a few great ways to make mom friends, and now would be the perfect time to put those tips to good use. Connecting with other mamas, especially those who also stay at home, is a fantastic way to combat loneliness. With them, you could do all of the things you would do with any other friend. Coffee dates, brunch, buddy-reads, only with the added plus of having someone who understands what it is like to be a mother.
If you find yourself having a hard time making friends, start online first. Become active on your favorite mommy-centered Facebook pages, websites, and message boards. Ask for and give out advice, join discussions, become part of the network of mamas supporting other mamas online.
2. Find A Hobby
Everyone has that one thing that they’re great at outside of being a good mom. If you love art, try making your own pieces. Even if they aren’t masterpieces at first, they will get better over time. If you love writing, start a book, you could try to get it traditionally published or go the self-published route. Since you’re already on the internet, why not start your own blog. Cooking, relationships, mom advice, crafts, whatever you want. Create a hub for yourself to share your ideas with other mamas all around the world. Building and maintaining a website on tob of your other responsibilities will have you so busy that you won’t have the time to feel lonely.
3. Get A Part-Time Job
If your kids are school-aged and going to a traditional school or spending the summer in camps, this time may be especially lonely for you. But it also provides you with a great opportunity try something new. Working because you want to and not because you have to is an amazing feeling. Try getting a part-time job at a local boutique or trying your hand at doing part-time work from home. Getting a job gives you a great way to spend your time interacting with other people, and being ale to line your pockets a bit is great too!
4. Get Outside More
As a stay at home mom myself, I know that there are days when I don’t even bother leaving the house. My son isn’t school-aged and I don’t work outside of the home. If I don’t already have other commitments or a need to run errands, I can become kind of cooped up. That certainly isn’t good for my sanity. Recently, I’ve been making more of a concentrated effort to leave the house more, even when I don’t need to. Even if I’m not really interacting with anyone other than my little one, I find peace in going to a park and being surrounded by other people or window shopping in a busy mall. You can definitely take your kids along for the ride. Just because you’re a stay at home mom doesn’t mean you have to be confined to the inside of your house.
5. Sign Up for an Online Course
Though learning is an engaging activity, it is essential that you keep improving yourself daily to better your life. There are many digital options that you can take at the comfort of your house and still find time to study. With online learning in the industry, this is your opportunity to take to tighten up that financial or accounting skill that you have been longing to take.
You can choose an online finance course to boost your financial management matters. You can also decide to turn it into your career once you are done as it will empower you throughout your learning period. Though it will cost you a reasonable amount of money, its benefits will outweigh the initial investment. Take the chance today!