Being a stay at home mom is certainly one of the most wonderful opportunities a woman can have. However, that being said it can also be one of the most draining and frustrating opportunities. There is so much to do as a stay at home mom. It doesn’t just involve taking care of your children. You have to clean your home, cook meals, spend quality time with your children, run errands and so much more. Having this large to do list can drive a mom a little crazy. We’ve rounded up 8 ways that will help keep you sane as a stay at home mom.
1. Do Something Fun Just For You
In order to keep yourself sane as a stay at home mom you NEED to have some time for yourself regularly. Being surrounded by children all the time and constantly taking care of their needs can really drain a mom. Take some time out for yourself so you can recharge whether it’s taking a walk, going to the salon to get a pedicure or even reading a book at the park by yourself. As long as you’re getting out of the house either by yourself or with friends it’ll help clear your head and recharge your body.
2. Choose Your Battles
Every day we battle our children on many things. Getting your child to put their shoes on can be a battle, or getting them to brush their teeth, or to change their diaper can be a battle. If we battle them on every little thing we will go insane. It’s important to focus on the important things that really matter. Don’t feel the need to fight your child on the little things. If it’s not putting themselves or others in harms way, is it really worth using your energy to fight them over it? For example, If you’re spending time outside with your kids and your toddler starts pouring bubbles out on the floor, is it really that big of a deal? You can always buy more bubbles and they’re not expensive. Just let them have some fun, and let yourself relax.
3. Get Out Of The House
Being a stay at home mom is an amazing opportunity, however, being in your home with your children can tend to drive you a little crazy here and there. It’s best to get out of the house when you can, even if it means you take a walk in the neighborhood with the kids, or take some chalk out in the front yard for your kids to play with while you enjoy some fresh air. It’ll be good not only for you, but for your kids as well to get out of the house.
4. Make Enough Food For Leftovers
Cooking food can be incredibly time consuming especially when you’re making breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. To help cut back on the amount of time you spend in the kitchen, make extra food at each meal so you can have leftovers. That way, instead of cooking dinner 7 times a week you can cook 3 or 4 times a week and have leftovers the rest of the time. You’ll have more time to play with your kids, shower, exercise, or clean. It’ll help give you more free time.
5. Be Active
We all know the Legally Blonde quote that “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Well, as it turns out, this is true. If you want to keep your sanity and be happier, get some exercise in. You don’t have to workout 7 days a week for an hour, but even going on a bike ride with your kids, taking them on a hike, or running around the playground with them will give you a little extra exercise and make you feel better. Also, when you exercise you’ll be more fit and healthy which will also make you feel better about yourself. No one wants to feel lazy and frumpy, so getting those workouts in will make a world of difference for your sanity.
6. Be Organized
Kids can be crazy which tends to make life crazy. To make it a little less crazy, try to be as organized as you possible to keep your mind a little sane. Use an organizer and write out your schedule if you need to. Keep your cleaning on a schedule so your home can be as clean as possible as much as possible. Set a routine with your kids so they wake up around the same time every day, have the same bed time every day etc. Doing all those things will help keep you organized and more sane.
7. Utilize The TV Or Tablets
Now, I know there is a lot of controversy on letting your child watch movies and TV. However, there is something to be said about letting your child watch a little TV so they can be distracted for a few minutes while you shower, clean, or cook dinner. It’s also incredibly nice to have this option when you’re out and about running errands or grabbing a bite to eat. It’s very nice to have a few moments of peace when you’re out at dinner with your husband and if your child is going to watch a cartoon for 30 minutes so you can do that, then so be it. It’s not the end of the world and won’t ruin your child’s brain to watch a little bit of TV here and there so you can have some peace and quiet.
8. Play With Your Child
Often times I notice when I’m most frustrated or annoyed with my son it’s when I’m not playing with him or engaging with him. Believe it or not, our children do actually want to play with us. Instead of getting annoyed with them bothering us while we are trying to get something done, stop what you’re doing and play with them. You’ll be surprised at how fun it can be to run around with your child, search for bugs, or build a fort with them. It’ll make you feel like a kid again and remind you how to have some fun in your life. Also, it’ll give your child the attention they want and need from you, meaning that they won’t be bothering you every few minutes to come and spend some time with them.
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Mary Mulroney
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