6 Tips for Thriving as a Stay-at-Home Mom
Picture this: Your baby wakes up at 6AM. She's screaming. Your husband has work in an hour so you let him sleep in. You grab your baby out of the crib. She's still screaming. You change her diaper. You feed her. You burp her. You try to put her down, but the screaming commences. You go to throw in a load of laundry with a baby on your hip. You get your baby to calm down enough that you can lay her down to play. You eat a banana for breakfast. It's 7AM and you hear your husband get in the shower. You wish that you could take a shower, but who's going to watch the baby? Your husband won't have time because he has to leave for work in 45 minutes. You decide to just throw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt and call it good. You feel gross but figure you're going to get spit up on your shirt anyway. Your husband is out of the bathroom so now you can brush your teeth. Your husband leaves for work and you're left to do it on your own for the next 8 hours.
Do you feel overwhelmed reading that? I know I do. Being a stay-at-home mom is hard. It can be easy to lose yourself in an effort to provide the best life you can for your family. It can be boring, brutally isolation, and just plain exhausting! But it can also be rewarding, exciting, and such a blessing to be able to stay at home with your children. But I want you to THRIVE while being a SAHM, not just survive!
1. Set up a system with your partner - If you have a partner helping you raise your family then set up a system for cleaning, cooking, and after work child care. Just because you stay at home doesn't mean you have time to do everything that is required to run a household! Split up the responsibilities so you don't feel overwhelmed all the time.
2. Get outside - There is this crazy thing called vitamin D that you're probably lacking! Take your kids outside and feel the sun on your skin, it does wonders for mental and physical health. I know this isn't doable everyday of the year, but when it's nice outside, take advantage of it!
3. Embrace the mess - I know you probably feel like if your house is messy, you’re failing. But you’re far from failing. A messy house usually means well fed, entertained, and happy children. Embrace where you’re at right now and don’t be to worried about if your house is spotless or not.
4. Practice self care - You’ve probably heard this tip thousands of times. But you really need to be taking care of yourself and putting yourself first sometimes. Some of my favorite self care practices are spa days, reading a good book, TJ Maxx shopping spree, or doing something creative!
5. Keep a stash for momma - Sometimes mom just needs something of her own to keep her sane! I like to keep some of my favorite treats in a very hidden location for when I need to treat myself on particularly difficult days.
6. Don’t compare yourself to other moms - It’s easy to look at a snapshot of another moms life and think that she has everything together. Her kids are well behaved, her house is always clean, dinner is always made at 6 o’clock sharp. But that’s probably not the reality. Realize that you’re looking at a quick blip of someones life and you shouldn’t compare it to your entire movie!
Being a stay at home mom is so hard, but taking care of yourself and making sure your needs are met make such a huge difference! We would love to hear what you do to thrive, while being a stay at home mom!