Motherhood Archives - Page 2 of 2

Ultimate SAHM Summer Schedule

Summer is upon us! For those of us who spend the entire summer with our kids, those 14-hour days can feel never-ending! But fear not, I’ve got the ultimate SAHM (Stay-at-Home Mom) summer schedule that is a game-changer. It packs in loads of fun for the kids and sneaks in some downtime for us moms too! Having a well-thought-out plan in place can make all the difference.

In this post, I will share some tips and tricks for how to make the most of your summer with your kids. I will even share the exact summer schedule I have curated. I make time to fit in everything that’s important to me, while spending plenty of time with my kids as well.

Let me set the scene for you. My family and I live in West Texas, which means some HOT summers. My husband, Jeremy and I have four kids: Ezra (11), Alizae (10), Hazley (5), and Brezlyn (4). Also, my husband does work out of town during the week, so it’s just me and the kids most days.

5 Tips to Make the Most of Your Summer Days:

Tip #1: Get out of the house EVERY DAY.

Have something planned to get the kids (and yourself!) out of the house. It can be as simple as taking a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood. It can be a little more elaborate, like visiting a children’s museum or a waterpark in a neighboring town.

Don’t overdo it and plan long, crazy excursions three or more days during the week. You and your kids will get burnt out quickly! On the other hand, if you have NOTHING planned, everyone will be bored and irritable. You definitely want to avoid that!

Tip #2: Fit YOUR goals into the schedule.

If your goal is to workout more, get a gym membership with childcare, like I plan to do.

If your goal is to learn a new skill, plan for 1-2 hours of quiet time in the afternoon so you can invest in yourself.

If your goal is to eat healthier, take the time to plan and cook healthy meals each day.

If your goal is to read 4 books this summer, factor in time each day for reading.

Whatever your goals are, make time for yourself EACH DAY.

Tip #3: Have your older children help with the younger ones.

I realize this may be an unpopular opinion. However, I have found it helps build stronger bonds between siblings and encourages the older siblings to focus less on themselves and more on others. It is ultimately a mama’s job to raise her kids, but older siblings can definitely help out. They may be a little resistant at first but keep working at it. They may even learn to love it!

I’ll give you a couple of examples of how you can implement this. I have my older daughter (age 10) help her younger sisters get ready. They enjoy trying out new hairstyles and picking out outfits together. We will sometimes have what I call a “buddy system,” when going places. If we go to the Splash Pad, for instance, my 10 and 11 years olds will match up with a younger sibling, “a buddy.” At this stage of life, they think it’s fun (we’ll see how much longer my 11-year-old will agree to this).

Obviously, this will look differently if you only have young children (or an only child), but it’s definitely helpful with larger families.

Tip #4: Have your meals planned out for ALL 3 meals.

Feeding 4 kids, 3 meals a day plus snacks is no easy feat. If I decided to “wing it” for each meal, my kids would be hungry and grumpy. Which is no good for any of us!!

Keep it simple! Breakfast could simply be cereal. Lunch could simply be sub sandwiches with grapes and carrot sticks. Know what you’re serving before it’s meal time and before everyone is already starving.

Take the 60 seconds to take meat out of the freezer in the morning so it’s ready by dinner. Take 30 seconds to look in your fridge in the morning to see what fruits & veggies you could serve for lunch. It takes such a minor amount of time to plan, but it really makes a huge difference in your days!

Tip #5: Plan and prepare the night before.

Spend 10 minutes the evening before, making a simple plan for the next day: what activities are you doing, what food are you eating, and what do you need to prep to have everything run more smoothly.

If you make a plan to go swimming the following day, you’ll want to make sure everyone has clean bathing suits and towels! You’ll want to know where the sunscreen is. If you want to make a picnic lunch, make sure the lunchboxes are clean and ready to pack the next day. The prep will take you no time at all, but I promise, it makes life so much smoother!

Now onto my tentative summer schedule with 4 kids (ages 4, 5, 10, and 11). I hope this will give you some ideas of how you can structure your summer schedule.

My SAHM Summer Schedule:

5:30-8:00AM Mommy Morning Routine

I went more in depth on my morning routine in a previous blog post, although it will change some during the summer months. Check out my blog post on creating a morning routine you love. I will still concentrate on the same four steps: moving my body, nourishing my soul (time with God), getting ready for the day, and nourishing my body.

By 8:00, my personal morning routine will finish, and my focus will be on the kids and their needs.

8:00-9:30AM Kid’s Morning Routine

Breakfast is served around 8:00. I’ll try to get all 4 kids at the table at the same time to eat together. My goal is to read a devotional as a family. I ordered Indescribable, by Louie Giglio, which includes 100 devotions about God and science. I am excited to start this with my kids this summer!

I plan to have a learning time with my two youngest (4 and 5 years old). They will each spend about 20 minutes with me going over ABCs or reading skills. My older daughter, Alizae, will help get the opposite daughter ready for the day and then we’ll flip flop.

9:30-12:00PM Morning Outing

Remember how I mentioned previously that getting out of the house is a MUST?? Here’s one of the times where we get out and enjoy time together. Does it have to be 2 1/2 hours, like my schedule shows? Absolutely not! Even if it’s an hour or so, definitely do it!

Have a list of options for this. Here are some outings/activities in our area that I came up with:

Library (our library has many summer events, check out your local library!)
Pool (we have two neighborhood pools, so we will switch it up)
Park (there are probably numerous parks in a 10-mile radius, so you could make it a summer goal to visit each one)
Playdate (visit a local place with a friend & her kids)
Picnic (you can even plan a picnic lunch!)

12:00-2:00PM Lunch/Relax

We don’t usually go out to lunch during the week, so unless we are having a picnic, we plan to be home by 12 to make lunch.

I save all the dishes (breakfast & lunch) to do at this time. The kids can help clean up after lunch; even my four-year-old will help clear the table and wipe it down.

Then, I’ll turn on a YouTube kids workout or Cosmic Kids Yoga while I finish cleaning the kitchen. Wear them out, so maybe (fingers crossed), they’ll nap for you or at least be really quiet for a while.

By 1:00, kids will have one hour of electronic time while I spend 15 minutes reading a non-fiction book and then 45 minutes completing a cleaning task (ex. Monday-clean bathrooms, Tuesday-dusting & surfaces, etc.)

2:00-4:00PM Afternoon Outing/Activity

It gets SOOOOO hot in West Texas in the summer! Any outdoor activity not involving water is definitely out of the question during the hottest part of the day. So, unless we are in or near water, we will more than likely spend the afternoon doing activities at home in the AC!!

Splash Pad (the one in our community is only open in the afternoons)
Pool (if we didn’t go in the AM)
Sprinkler on in the backyard
Baking
Science Experiments
Kinetic sand or Playdoh
Board games
Free Play (the girls will play Barbies or American girl dolls for hours)

I will try to get some blog work done during this time too, if possible.

4:00-5:30PM Workout at the Gym

My gym has childcare, so I’m taking advantage of that! My goal is to get in a workout every single week day, while my kids are being entertained in the childcare room. This will also ensure that we get out of the house at least one more time during the day.

5:30-8:00PM Dinner and Family Time

6PM is my typical dinner time, but this summer I will aim to be more flexible. During this time, I will prep dinner, we will eat dinner, and then clean up the kitchen after dinner. After all the dinner festivities are complete, we will do a family evening activity. That can mean going to the neighborhood park, going on a walk, having the kids play outside, or watching a movie as a family.

8:00-9:00PM Evening Routine

By 8:00, it’s time for baths/showers, the 26th snack of the day, and reading to calm them down before a peaceful night’s sleep. If only the bedtime routine were that easy, but hopefully by this point the long summer day has worn them out and they’ll be asleep within minutes. We’ll see how that really plays out.

9:00-10:00PM Mommy Night Routine

This is the time for ME (and my husband, if he’s home). I have a PM hygiene routine I will complete (brush teeth & skincare) and then it’s time to work on the blog or read whatever my current fiction read is. I try to stay away from watching TV (a show will get me sucked in and then nothing else is accomplished while I binge watch.)

I’m sure I won’t even make it until 10pm most nights. Can any other moms out there relate??

Here’s a summer schedule that’s a great fit for my family (with my kids ranging from 4-11 years old). If you’re navigating through a different season of life, your routine might be streamlined and that’s perfectly fine – tailor it to suit your needs! The key is to have a structure that is feasible for your family, one that is peaceful and enjoyable.

I wish you an absolutely splendid summer! May your days be filled with the perfect blend of productivity and making memories with your family.

Categories: Motherhood

Be a More Productive, yet Present Mama today

Moms have so many responsibilities, whether you work from home, stay at home full time, or work outside the house. The list is endless. It doesn’t matter how many kids you have, 1, 4 or 14, a mom’s to-do list is jam-packed full of things that NEED to be done and things that SHOULD get done.

I am a Mama to 4 kids (ages 4-11) and I’d love to share some productivity tips with you that I’ve learned in my journey of motherhood. I don’t want to compromise on the aspect of being a PRESENT MOM though.

Our kids will remember and cherish the TIME we spent with them, rather than how clean our house was. I’m not sayings cleanliness isn’t important, because it certainly is. People are going to notice if you have no clean clothes and a kitchen covered in dirty dishes.

Balance is key though. Balance is hard, but it is key.

So, how can you be both PRODUCTIVE and PRESENT?? Is it possible to have both?

I have some tips to help you balance this aspect of your life. Keep reading for some motivation and ideas if you’re struggling to be productive or present or both!

Tip #1-Involve your kids in your to-do list.

Maybe your to-do list is long and overwhelming. Maybe you have 20 things that are looming over your head. I definitely feel that way sometimes. It’s as if I can’t keep my head above the water with the housework, not to mention the little people that are calling on me every 5 minutes.

I encourage you to begin including your kids in the “kid-friendly” tasks. Will it take longer? Probably yes. More than likely, yes. As your kids get older, however, they will become more helpful. Plus, they will need to learn these skills eventually, so why not teach them now?!

Let’s say you want to bake some chocolate chip cookies. Yes, it’s definitely quicker (maybe a little less stressful and a lot less messy) to do it on your own. BUT I have one daughter in particular who absolutely LOVES to help in the kitchen. I can choose to be present with her and involve her, while being productive at the same time!

The next item on your to-do list is folding the massive pile of laundry, the result of four kids and two adults. Should you involve your kids in this? I do! You can teach them the skill of folding laundry, talk to them, and BE WITH THEM. That’s what they want most from you-the TIME, the CONVERSATION, and the ATTENTION.

Tip #2 – Accomplish a task with your kids nearby.

I love listening in on my kids and their amazing imaginations as they play. It is fascinating to me the ideas and conversations they come up with. So, sometimes I will choose to complete tasks close to them as they play.

If I have an e-mail I need to send out, I can bring my laptop to where they are playing and do it near them. I explain to them that “mom has a work task to complete, but I still want to be next to you.” That way, they know you are going to be a little preoccupied, but you can also be present. Or while doing dishes, I may have my girls sit at the counter and color. That way we can still spend time together, but I am accomplishing a task, and they are doing something they enjoy as well.

Figure out what works best for you and your kids, so that you can spend quality time together, but not feel stressed out either.

Tip #3-Have your personal morning routine complete before your kids are awake.

This one can be a doozy at first. Who wants to wake up an hour, even two hours before their kids? If you want to be more present when your kids roll out of bed in the morning, be productive first. Get yourself ready and nourished, so you can focus on them without all the distractions.

I promise you will have a better attitude towards your kids and will maybe even exhibit more patience than normal. Waking up to a kid crying or being forced awake by a kid jumping on you is definitely not how I want to wake up!

That’s why I choose to have a Mommy Morning Routine where I can nourish my soul, move my body, prepare my appearance, and nourish my body, all BEFORE my kids join the party!

Tip #4-Dedicate time to spend 1-on-1 with each child.

This can be as little as 10-15 minutes, as long as it’s time specifically dedicated to that child. Not time checking your phone or leaving the room to accomplish another task. Time to play or do whatever they choose for a short amount of time will fill their cup and yours too!

I personally DO NOT enjoy playing with my kids. My imagination is lacking when it comes to pretend play with Barbies, dolls, and all the others myriad of toys my kids have. Truthfully, 15 minutes is the maximum amount of time I can mentally take in one sitting. BUT I know it means the world to my kids, so I put in the effort.

My preference is playing a game or doing a craft activity, but any activity where you can interact and talk with your kids will work great! Determine a time each day when you can be present and devote 1-on-1 time with each of your kiddos.

Tip #5-Use electronics to your advantage!

I have chosen to have a designated time for electronics in our daily routine. Electronics can be a lifesaver, at times, although I mostly like to do without. If there is a specific task that needs my undivided attention, I’ve found the perfect solution for tackling it is when my children are engrossed in a show or a game on their tablet. That’s why I use electronics to my advantage, ONLY when I need it or when they need it for a 20-minute winddown time.

I would encourage you to refrain from using the television as background noise or to have your children get on electronic devices as soon as they wake up or right before bed. There are so many other activities they could be doing which are screen-free. True, these activities may require more cleanup or more arguing between siblings, but I guarantee that our kids will benefit from less screen time!

Sometimes mornings in our home start with requests for tablet time, but we’ve established a specific time slot for this, which works wonders. The strategic use of this tech-time not only helps maintain a balanced day but also ensures I stay on top of my to-dos.

Tip #6-Balance your focus between your family and personal time.

Moms need time to themselves! We need time to do what matters to us.

Here’s an example of how I can squeeze in a little time for what fills my cup:

When I take my kids to the park (which they request often), I bring along my Kindle and wear my comfortable tennis shoes. I will push the kids on the swing for a few minutes. While my kids play with their friends, I find a bench to enjoy reading for a while. I can help my daughter on the monkey bars, and then I take a leisurely stroll around the perimeter of the park. It’s a delightful balance: my kids receive my attention, and I get to engage in activities I enjoy.

Interestingly, my children often prefer to play with their friends rather than just with me. But that’s perfectly fine—I relish the opportunity to move my body and spend some time reading. It’s a win-win situation!

Figure out other times of the week where you can squeeze in some more time for you. If you want to give fully to your family and other important people in your life, you need to also take time to recharge your battery.

Tip #7-Know the love language of your family members.

Love languages are based on a book by Gary Smalley and there’s even a website with more information that you can check out! In summary, the 5 love languages are physical touch, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and gifts. Each person has one or two love languages that they rate higher on compared to the others. If you know your family members love languages, it holds greater significance when you show them love in that particular way.

By understanding and prioritizing how your children feel loved, you can create a happier environment for everyone. I believe there’s even a quiz you can take to determine love languages and ideas on how to implement them each day.

For instance, if my son’s love language is words of affirmation, I need to make sure to give him some positive words throughout the day. If my oldest daughter’s love language is quality time, I need to make sure I’m focusing more on that than the other four love languages.

You could put in so much effort with physical touch, not even realizing that physical touch may be last priority for someone. If you want to learn more about your kids and how you can best love and parent them, be sure to check out the 5 Love Languages!

Tip #8-Spend time in prayer first thing each day.

Before interacting with anyone, spend time talking to God. Pray for God’s guidance to show up for your family each day and to be the best wife and mom you can be. God can help you with your attitude, your words, your actions, and anything else you struggle with. Do you desire to be the best wife and mama you can be? God can help you! You just need to ask Him.

Seek God and how He wants you to spend your day. Seek opportunities to speak wisdom and truth into your children’s lives. Do you struggle with speaking in a kind tone to your child? Again, ask God to help you in this area of your life.

Don’t wait to pray. Make it a priority first thing in the morning, but also throughout the day. We can even “pray without ceasing,” which means anytime we want, we can pray.

At the end of the day, I could be ticking things off my list left and right, but if I’m not giving my little ones or my partner the time they deserve, did I really nail it? Nope. It’s all about hitting that sweet spot where I get stuff done and spread the love at home.

It’s about taking care of my family to the best of my ability while lovingly guiding my children in the way God has called me. I encourage you to be present with your family as much as you can, but to also care for your home and yourself!