I’m not going to lie – being a stay-at-home, work-at-home mommy is HARD. H-A-R-D. I am constantly torn between getting work done and spending quality time with my kids, and there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done! Housework is usually the last thing I want to do after I’ve wrapped up my work for the day, but let’s face it – it’s got to be done!
For almost 3 years, I’ve been performing this juggling act, and while I still struggle to get everything done every day, I have found three things that consistently help me fit in important housework AND spend quality, fun time with my sweet babies (which is the most important thing I do all day)!
- Plan a small task every couple of hours
I rarely have the energy to take on huge messes all at once, and when I try to do that, I usually feel cranky and frustrated. Instead, I try to look at things in small pieces. I like to write down a list of housework I’d like to accomplish that day, and then I try to find 10-15 minutes every hour to tackle a small piece of that list. It’s usually is something small like rotating the laundry, folding a pile of blankets, or picking up as many toys as I can in the toy room. Those small, bite-sized tasks add up throughout the day, which leaves more time to focus on babies at the end of the day and less time obsessing over a disastrous house.
- Make a game of it
Getting your kids to pitch in is an important thing to learn early, and it gives you and your child some time to bond! We like to sing the “Clean Up, Clean Up” song at different speeds when we’re trying to clean up a room. When I sing it slow, my kids will pick up toys slowly. As I speed up, so does their cleaning up speed. It’s a fun activity for the kids, and all the while, you’re actually getting work done. Win-win!!
- Play fun, upbeat music that you and your kids enjoy while you work
My kids LOVE dancing, and when the tunes come on while I’m cleaning, they turn it into a dance party. Before I know it, my kids have formed a dance circle and are breaking out the moves! I can be picking up or folding laundry while also chanting “Go Izzy! Go Jayde! Go Cooper!” at the same time. The kids LOVE the attention and feel happy and validated, even though I’m double-tasking.
We all have a lot to do at home, and it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that come up in life. Yet every day, time seems to slip away faster, and our kids wake up a little bit older than they were the day before. It’s important to help them understand that we love them and enjoy spending time with them! We don’t have to let ourselves or our homes go while we watch them grow – we just have to adjust the way we do things! J
Stay awesome momma – you’re doing GREAT!!!