Being a mama is a constant balancing act between keeping your kids alive and keeping your sanity. You give and give to your children and can often feel sucked dry. We believe it’s important for moms to practice daily habits that will help you feel good and sane at the end of the day.
Here are our daily habits for moms that will help you keep your sanity:
1. Keep a routine.
Routines aren’t natural to me, so the kids and I do not have a consistent routine from morning until night. BUT, we do have our meals, naps, and bedtime at the same time. I call them my “milestone hurdles.” When we wake up, we have 4 hours until our next milestone hurdle…lunch! They are little countdowns I have in my head so the day doesn’t drag on and on and they give my kids the routine that everyone says they need. Maybe a routine is easy for you! Do your best to implement parts of your day that you and your kids can count on so that you can have more control.
2. Clean as you go.
My husband has the “only clean once” philosophy that ends in more stress for the entire family. When he watches the kids, he lets the house turn into a storm of chaos and then cleans up once they are asleep. It can sometimes take hours. So I have found that cleaning up more than once throughout the day can feel frustrating, but having to climb over piles of toys and wash an overflowing sink of dishes is less than ideal. I clean as we go. If my kids get out toys, I have them clean up before they play with the next thing! Sure, this philosophy isn’t adopted overnight, and they aren’t perfect, but once they learn the expectations and they are enforced, the days get easier. We never have too much to clean at one time (unless we had a playdate), so naptimes and bedtimes actually mean a break for mom and not hours of cleanup!
3. Prep the night before.
Do as much as you can the night before so that mornings are less chaotic! Plan the next day, lay out clothes, prep meals/snacks, and get the diaper bag ready-to-go. The more you can have completed before your kids awake for the day, the less impatient and stressed you will be in response. If there is something you can prep the night before…DO IT!
4. Involve the kids in the cleanup.
Cleaning is not just a mom’s responsibility. Involve your kids whenever you can! Yes, the chores may not be completed to YOUR standard, but it will remove the stress of trying to juggle everything on your own! We have previous posts that will help you easily involve your kids in the cleanup!
5. Remind yourself you aren’t in charge of your kids’ happiness.
The weight of your children’s happiness should never be on your shoulders. Yes, you should provide for your children’s needs, but happiness is not your burden to bear. Read this post to help you understand you don’t need the pressure of making sure your children are always happy.
It’s not your job to solve all your child’s problems. But it IS your job to equip them to do so. Start encouraging your children to feel a variety of emotions and experience a well-rounded life. You can better keep your sanity when you learn to accept all of your children’s emotions.
6. Put kids to bed early.
Every mama needs time for self-care. Start putting your kids to bed early! This doesn’t mean that your children will fall right to sleep, but have some safe, non-stimulating activities that your children can only do at bedtime to occupy their time as they wind down in their rooms. This will give you alone time without requiring you to stay up until midnight to be alone.
7. Capture all the good.
At the end of the day, take some time to reflect. Your thoughts determine your feelings, so if you want to feel in control and “sane,” then you need to make sure your thoughts align with all the good parts of your day! Sit and replay back all the wins and successes from the day. You’ll be surprised how many come to mind!
Tell us in the comments, mama, how do YOU keep your sanity?
