This post is the result of several conversations I've had with people who are apprehensive about becoming a stay-at-home parent.
Lets be honest. Staying at home doesn't really mean you get to lie around on your couch watching Sex and the City reruns and eat chocolate. Although I did try that. It's less exciting than it sounds.
It's a different world when you don't have to be anywhere. You don't have deadlines like you used to. Your schedule is much less regimented. It's less mentally stimulating. You don't get nearly as much adult interaction or time to yourself. The rewards are much different than full time employment.
But it doesn't have to be a negative thing. I came up with my own list of ways to improve your life as a stay at home parent. Some of these are my own ideas and some have come from other moms I have talked to. Maybe you can come up with your own ideas to add. I welcome any suggestions or ideas other stay at home parents have.
Make a schedule- This can be really difficult with young kids. If you can't implement a rigid schedule, have set events that happen every day at a certain time. For example, I have lunch for my kids between 12-1 sometime and we sit down for dinner right when my husband gets home from work. If I could get my kids to nap on a schedule, I would set a time for that every day as well. I tried to plan all events for the entire day but I didn't find it worked that well with changing nap times. But it has made a huge difference for me to have a few set events that happen during the day.
Don't clean all day- With young kids, it is possible to clean your house for weeks and still have things left to clean. Pick one or two times during the day that you will clean and leave everything else. You can go crazy cleaning and it can end up being all you do all day. Everyday. What a life.
Work on a hobby or talent- Don't lose who you are in becoming a parent. You need something you enjoy besides parenting. Maybe it's playing the piano or guitar, sewing, photography, running, painting, etc. Make time to work on it. Take your kids to a sitter, leave them with relatives, or take time when your spouse is home for just a few hours. It's very important to be or do something along with being a parent. Maybe join a book club. Volunteer. Become active in a good cause. Maybe you consider doing online or independent study courses. You can take some free online courses here including American politics, Old and New Testament courses, personal finance, gardening and more.
Give in to a guilty pleasure- Mine is chocolate. And Tillamook mudslide ice cream. I have a friend who makes it through the day with Diet Coke. Sometimes you just need it.
Keep yourself healthy- Eat healthy and keep your body in shape. Also, avoid watching TV or being on the computer all day. Get out of your house and get your body moving. If you can't afford a gym membership, try getting a treadmill for your home or a jogging stroller. We found a double jogging stroller at a neighborhood garage sale for about $30. Exercise will release all those endorphins. It can help with feelings of being overwhelmed. You know, if anyone ever feels that way as a stay at home parent.
Remember to enjoy this time with your children- Make every day special. Decorate for holidays, celebrate events and create situations to make your kids happy and help them to enjoy being kids. Children are only young once. Sometimes it's hard to be a parent. Sometimes it's a test of patience. But my kids make me smile. Every day I laugh at things they do. I have yet to have a day where I wish that I had stayed at work and not come home to be their mom. Raising kids is the best job in the world, if that's what you make it.
As an afterthought, I found a post on this topic of being a mom. This particular mom has some great ideas on how she survives parenting her five children. Read it here. Another mom has some great ideas about happiness. Read that here.
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