10 Tips for Working Moms
I have been working full-time since before my second boy was born. All my five children have ever known was Mom going to work. However that has recently changed and I am now a stay-at-home mom but here are 10 tips I have learned in the past 8 1/2 years of being a working mom.
Texting Threads: When the kids were sick my husband and my texts read: ‘Gave Kid 3 Tylenol’ or ‘Kid 2 threw up.’ This allowed my husband and I smooth transitions from one caretaker to the other. We’d pass on pictures of bumps or rashes so the other person can keep an eye on it. This not only keeps communication open but also time stamps it so you know exactly when the last dose was given
Overcommunicate Appointments: Write down the appointment on the wall calendar, in your planner, on your work calendar, in your husband’s calendar. Write it everywhere. If you do, there is a lesser chance of you forgetting about it.
Appointments Day: However another trick for appointments is pick a day of the month to do all the appointments and just take that as a sick day. I’ve taken the four oldest to the dentist and the baby to her check-up all in the same day. I also set the kids annual appointments in the month they were born— it’s easier to remember that way.
Realistic Meal Plans: Everyone says to meal plan and it took me a while to jump on that train. There were two main factors that actually made it work for me. One was to plan easy meals that I would have the energy to make after a long day and two was to plan meals my kids would eat. Nothing is more discouraging than the kids turning up their noses at something you worked hard to make after working all day!
Phone Alarms: Everyone uses an alarm to wake up but I also use an alarm to remind myself to make supper, start homeschool or to take my allergy medicine. It requires so much less brain power to set an alarm than keeping track of time. Also setting a time for when you have to leave the house for work or appointments is also helpful.
Cleaning Day: My kids knew that Friday was cleaning day. I would do as much cleaning as I could throughout the week but Friday was the day when we all worked together go caught up. I would recommend if you have days off other than the weekend to clean on the last day of work because it’s nice having everything caught up while you are home.
Babywear: I wear my toddler or baby a lot. I realized that being gone all day made the baby want held more. In order to homeschool or make supper or fold laundry I needed my hands free and baby wearing gave the best of both worlds. There is nothing wrong with a contact nap while babywearing.
Schedule Time: When I was a younger mom, I felt guilty taking time alone because I was at work all the time. As I got older and added more children I realized that I needed time for myself so I could continue to serve my family. Sometimes it was only a 20 minute bath but sure you take time to recharge.
Homeschool Breaks: I just started this last year or so but it has made such a difference! We only do lessons for 20 to 30 minutes and then we take a 10 minute break. During that break, I can do a quick task, get the toddler down for a nap or nurse the baby. This has helped me get more done during school hours but also they are more relaxed and fresh for learning.
Enjoy: This isnt a trick but more of a reminder. I learned that I had to purposefully stop in the busyness and enjoy my children. I needed to stop and see the world through thier eyes. Even if it means accepting the live ant my toddler carefully brought me or reacting to the baby playing hide and seek or listening to a story or admiring a colored picture or hear the plans of the day or laughing at a silly joke.
I hope these tips give you some ideas to help make things run a little smoother at home. Let me know if you try any of these tips and if they work!
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