SAHM: Scheduling Your Day

Some people think that being a stay-at-home mom means you will have the freedom to do anything and go anywhere whenever the desire arises. Unfortunately, some people aren't stay-at-home moms, or they wouldn't think such things. In actuality, being a stay-at-home mom requires just as much scheduling as working outside the home. Scheduling? Yes, scheduling is important to all stay-at-home moms and here are a few tips for scheduling your day.

Routine Importance -- When you're a stay-at-home mom you quickly discover that having a routine is an important part of your day. From infancy, all children thrive on routine. Scheduling your day keeps kids in the know on what to expect. They know when they will eat, when they will play, when it's naptime, and even when it's cuddle time with mommy. And all of this years before they can actually tell time. When you schedule your day you show your child that they can depend on their internal clocks to tell them all of these things and it be true. Routines are important to a happy mommy and child.

When Things Change -- When things change in your daily routine, all hell can break loose for your child. Being a stay-at-home mom means knowing how to handle when things change. Scheduling your day can only take you so far when something unexpected occurs. When things go array, just pick up where you left off whenever you're able to and just deal with the backlash and grumpy child with the knowledge that it will not last. Things will improve, things will get back to normal, and your child will be just fine in the end.

Happy Time Means Errand Time -- Being a stay-at-home mom doesn't mean that you're always at home. Sometimes you'll feel like you're on the road more now than when you were working outside the home. However, when you have young children it's a good idea to handle your errands when your little one is at their best. All children have a "magic" time of day. This is the time of day when they are their best, happiest, most joyful selves. No one likes to take cranky kids out on the town. It not only makes you more stressed out and rushed, but those around you probably don't enjoy hearing a screaming child either. Unfortunately, sometimes it's just unavoidable and that's when you refer to When Things Change above.

Stressful Evenings -- Early evenings tend to be a very stressful time of day for many stay-at-home moms. This is when everyone is coming home, dinner needs to be cooked, kids are screaming that they're hungry, the baby is tired and grumpy, and you need to get everyone bathed. The best way to deal with this is to stick to the script. Do one thing at a time, step by step, until it's all complete and the kids are in bed. That's all anyone can do is just take it bit by bit. Expect the stress, but don't let it overwhelm you.

Scheduling your day when you're home all day may not seem like something a stay-at-home mom would need to do, but the reality of the situation is that a schedule comes in handy when the little one is having a meltdown because lunch and naptime didn't happen on time. Children thrive on schedules and knowing when to expect things on a day to day basis. You don't have to be rigid with your schedule for it to be a success. Just be consistant!

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