Surviving Long Days As a Mom
Before I became a mom, I had a very romantic view of parenthood. I imagined my husband and I having so much fun as a family, going on lots of outings, and just feeling happy all the time. This is definitely a part of parenthood, but so are long days, hard work, and loneliness. Being a mom can be very isolating. However, the more moms I talk to, the more I realize we are all in this together!
Many of my friends have husbands who commute and work long hours or are in the military. Regardless of your situation, there are going to be long days when you need some ideas in your pocket to make it to bedtime.
I asked some friends to share their favorite ways to survive long days.
Here is a list of our tips and suggestions:
– Easy Dinner – make sandwiches or pancakes.
– Utilize free events and story times at your local library. I used to do this all the time with Ellie.
– Host a play date. Then you can still have company without leaving your house!
– Join a Mommy Group. This is definitely what saves me most days. You can join shared interest groups, find groups on Facebook or Meetup, or a become a part of a church group like MOPS. I have many virtual friends that support me through our talks and sharing on Facebook.
– Utilize technology: text, FaceTime, Skype. Kids love to see family. Ellie and Hanna love to FaceTime with their Aunts and Uncles.
– Do a house project to pass the time and stay focused on a task.
– Plan something for yourself at the end of a long day: a Mom’s Night, wine and a good book, a prerecorded favorite show, or a nice warm bath all to yourself.
– Campout in the living room. I can’t wait for my girls to be old enough for forts and campouts.
– Read a good book or watch those guilty pleasure shows your husband won’t watch with you.
– Go on walks or a nature walk. This is one of my favorites.
– If it is within your means, plan a trip to visit family while your husband is gone.
– Listen to something “adult.” Find a podcast or radio show you can listen to on your phone while you go on that walk.
– Write your plans on a calendar. When my calendar is filled I know I have things to keep us busy and writing them down keeps us organized.
– Prepare dinner ahead of time. Use crock pot meals or meals that only need to be heated.
– Put down the camera and get messy with your kids.
– Run errands. This gets a little harder the more kids you have, but try to make it as fun as you can. I love that our Trader Joe’s has a hidden monkey toy for the kids to find. It is our new favorite activity while grocery shopping. It helps that when you find it you get a lollipop!
– Have ready to go crafts or activities for when kids are crabby or you need a filler activity. This is definitely a goal I am working on.
– Just play. Sit down with those kiddos and play with all their toys. Ellie received a play kitchen and an easel for Christmas and we play with them every day.
– Read books. Go check out your library to get new books.
– Try a new park.
– Put the kids in an activity. We love doing classes through the city. We have tried gymnastics, swim lessons, and a music class so far. There are so many classes available.
– Go outside. See what you can discover or just let your kids lead the way!
– Invest in a pass to the zoo, a museum, or amusement park. This will provide lots and lots of fun especially if you can join friends that also have passes.
– Utilize local resources: if you live in Southern California check out “San Diego Family Magazine” or Temecula Qponer
– Remember some days that chores can wait. During your kid’s naps just sit down and read or watch a show. Put your feet up. Take a nap!
– Bake together. Let your kids help!
– Include the kids in cleaning and chores.
– We watch shows too. Our favorites are Little Einsteins, Signing Time, Sesame Street videos on You Tube.
– When I was a first time Mom with Ellie, I bought the book “The Rookie Mom’s Handbook.” It had awesome tips for getting out of the house.
I would love to add to this list. How do you survive long days as a mom?
