Thanks

Thanks...

Message edited 4/4/2013 10:29:16 PM.

Re: SAHM that are on their own with the kids 24/7 how do you do it?

honestly...you don't keep up with it all I've learned that you have to let some things go. My house definitely isn't as clean as it used to be-- i trade that cleaning time for playing or doing something with DS. Something that helps me with cleaning is doing a little bit everyday. that helps me keep up with it and not feel overwhelmed by a BIG cleaning all at once. and i try to mulitask. DS is 2.5 now... so like while hes splashing in the bath at night, I'll wipe down the sink and toilet in the bathroom, or while hes eating lunch I'll wipe down the kitchen counters. I'm lucky that he likes following the vaccum around, so when I have to do that, its like an activity for him at the same time LOL Doing the cleaning a little bit at a time definitely makes it less overwhelming.
Grocery shopping is annoying with him, but I deal. I just bring snacks with me and feed him snacks the whole time LOL I also plan out our meals for the week ahead of time, so I really only go once a week.
Laundry isn't that bad because I just throw it in and then can do other stuff while its washing.
Honestly- nap time is HUGE for me haha he sleeps for 2 hours usually- so I take an hour of it to myself to eat my own lunch and watch a show. Then the second hour is when I do cleaning/house stuff. I put music on my Iphone with headphones and just zone out and clean or straighten up or whatever needs to get done. hes 2.5 so I know this npa time is coming to an end- so i signed him up for a preschool 2 mornings a week for September, to give myself a break and give him some socialization.

Re: SAHM that are on their own with the kids 24/7 how do you do it?

I agree, it really is a juggling game.

I just try to rotate things daily.

The house is def. not as clean as it was before the baby, but I try to keep up with it. However, sometimes I get too obsessed with cleaning and then feel like I am neglecting my DD. So that's when I break and spend lots of 1 on 1 time with her.

Each day, I try to spend some time with her very attentively, then give her a little alone time, then back to time with her, then alone time again.

Sleep is hard. I try to nap when she naps. That is sometimes my only "me" time, so I have to always choose do I want to eat and watch a tv show, or do I want to make phone calls and send emails, or do I want to sleep? I usually choose sleep. Sometimes I do the eating and tv. I don't think I've called or emailed anyone in months... I'm terrible.

I do the grocery shopping on the weekend with DH, luckily. I do laundry everyday, at least 2 loads a day. But I don't do laundry on the weekends.

Maybe you would benefit from making a loose schedule so you can see when they need to be at school and when their activities are and then see what blocks of time are left. I make loose schedules with special events, important times and chores I want to get done on what days.

I used to exercise 5 days a week for an hour each day. I was running 5k's and doing classes like pilates and yoga. I haven't worked out since giving being pregnant (probably about a year ago already). I keep saying I want to exercise, but I either want to sleep or spend time with DD. I have def. gotten lazy, out of shape and weak. But I am sore all the time from carrying DD around all day, running up and down the stairs, cooking and folding so much laundry... getting back into it just hasn't happened for me.

Re: SAHM that are on their own with the kids 24/7 how do you do it?

I work from home 30 hours a week and sometimes I wonder how I don't crack...My DH is gone 530am-745pm M-F. I will give you a typical day, but keep in mind I only have 1 DS who is 14 months

7:30-8:00 am DS wakes. I don't get out of bed until he does. Sometimes I read for a few minutes if I wake up first. I take him out of the crib and give him breakfast.
9:00 am I set up my laptop in the dining room and watch him play in the livingroom for an hour while I answer emails.
10:00 am I put him in his pack and play and finish my work up for the morning. I change out his toys everyday so he is excited to be in the P&P
11:00 am sign off of work, shower, get DS ready
12:00 we eat lunch. I either take him somewhere or we eat here. To keep myself sane, I often call a friend to meet me for lunch during their lunch break at work.
2:00 I clean up all his toys for the day and put him down for a nap. He will sleep 2-3 hours. While he sleeps I work, get the house organized, send out bills, chat with my Mom. I try and keep it "ME" time.
5:00 he wakes up and we eat dinner together. Since my DH doesn't get home until late, I have become accustomed to eating with DS.
6:00 he watches 1/2 hour of TV in his playpen. I clean the dishes, start the dishwasher and cook DH something that he can eat for dinner/lunch the next day.
7:00 give DS a bath, read a book and have him ready for DH. DH gives him his last bottle and puts him to sleep.
8:00-11:00 I finish working, read a bit, talk with DH, watch a show together and prepare to do it all again tomorrow

ETA: I don't exercise lately but I will take DS for walks as soon as the weather gets nicer after lunch. Grocery shopping is done Sundays when DH is home. The weekends are Family time but most of all, Mommy needs a break time

Message edited 4/4/2013 5:41:58 PM.

Re: SAHM that are on their own with the kids 24/7 how do you do it?

I am a SAHM and my DH works 12+ hours a day... he only sees DS for maybe 1 hour in the morning and that is it until the weekend. It really stinks to have to do it all on my own and for DS not to spend much time with DH, but somehow it has been working for us and my DS is 28mo.

First and foremost... DS comes first. He is the reason that I'm a SAHM, so I don't spend my days cleaning, cooking, etc. I spend it with him. We go out just about every morning. I have admission passes to a couple of places (LICM, Once Upon a Treetop, Zoo/Aquarium Pass), so we don't pay every single time. We also do playdates with his friends 1-2 days a week. He still naps for a good 2 hours a day, so that is when I get some stuff done around the house. When he wakes up, we usually color, do puzzles, paint, etc. We're always doing something bc if we didn't I'd go insane. He also goes down fairly early at 7:30, so I do most of my cleaning and laundry at night. Is my house imaculate? Absolutely not, but I do the best I can. I straighten up every night when he goes to sleep and I do the major cleaning on the weekends with DH is around to spend time with DS. Spending time with him is most important to me, especially at this young age.

The ones thing I've learned is to not stress about being Superwoman. Being a SAHM is exhausting and many can't really understand it unless they've done it. Just do the best you can!