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How To Create A Productive Routine As A Stay-At-Home Mom

Being a stay-at-home mom is amazing for so many reasons. You get all the cuddles, kisses, and play-time with your little one(s). However, I know first hand that it can also be the most challenging job in the world, especially if you don’t create a solid routine for yourself and your children. That’s why I’m here to show you exactly how to create a routine to make your days run as smooth as possible.




1. Wake up earlier than your children.

I know this can be a tough one, especially if your children are early risers. With that said, this is the MOST important part creating a routine that works for YOU. Whenever I’m awake before my daughter, the day always ends up being more productive.


2. Take at least 5-10 minutes of self care.

This can look different for everyone. For me, it’s checking my e-mails and sitting down with some coffee. For you it could be taking a shower, eating some breakfast, or reading a book.


3. Move on to your top three chores/tasks of the day.

It’s very important to get these 3 things done before your children wake up. Whether it be laundry, dishes, bill payments, or any other task. This way you won’t feel like you need to neglect your children for those tasks during the day, or vice versa.


4. Plan out your day from sun up to sun down.

This one may seem over the top, but I have a college degree in Early Childhood and I promise this step is imperative for your child(ren) AND yourself. Children thrive on schedules. They are even much happier and well behaved if they are given a structured daily schedule to follow. With that being said, it’s not the end of the world if the schedule doesn’t go as planned EVERY single minute of EVERY single day. You do need to be flexible as well. Below I’ve written out a sample of the daily schedule I follow with my 17-month-old daughter.

 

6:00 AM - Wake up, check e-mails, relax with some coffee

6:30 AM - Top 3 Tasks for the day

7:30 AM - Daughter wakes up, cuddles on the couch with Mommy with a cup of milk, brushes teeth

8:00 AM - Free Play while Mommy gets breakfast ready

8:30 AM - Breakfast time

9:00 AM - Play time

10:00 AM - Snack time

10:30 AM - Quiet time (books, puzzles, etc. in preparation for nap)

11:00 AM - Nap time

(This is the time that I complete any other extra tasks for the day)

1:00 PM - Lunch

1:30 PM - Outdoor time (whether permitted, otherwise indoor gross motor activity, art activity, sensory activity, etc.)

3:00 PM - Snack time

3:30 PM - Free play

5:00 PM - Dinner time

5:30 PM - Bath time

6:00 PM - Cup of milk and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

6:30 PM - Play time with Daddy after work

7:15 PM - Brush teeth, Get ready for bed

7:30 PM - Bedtime

 

5. Make one of your weekend days a meal planning day

Every Sunday I put in a pick-up order at Stop & Shop through the PeaPod website. My fiancé will go to pick it up when it’s ready and during my daughter’s nap time that day I will cook all of her meals for the entire week (besides breakfasts). I cannot stress enough how much of a game changer this is. It frees up SO much time and is such a mental weight totally eliminated!


6. Make plans outside of the house a few times a week

On Mondays my daughter goes to a music class, on Fridays she goes to a gymnastics class, and every other Thursday her grandmother visits. This really helps to break up our days.


7. Never go to bed with a messy home

This is a tough one. I know how exhausted you are at the end of the day, but it really helps to set the mood for the morning. It usually only takes me about 15-30 minutes to tidy every room and I always feel so much better waking up to a tidy home.


8. Have a consistent bedtime routine

Another game changer. My daughter has been sleeping through the night since about 3-months-old and the number one question I get asked is, “How did you get her to do that!?” A consistent bedtime routine played a big role. While our bedtime routine has obviously changed as she’s grown, I’ve kept it age appropriate and consistent since she was an infant. Our bedtime routine now consists of turning down the lights, turning off the television, quiet play time with Daddy, brushing our teeth, getting a clean diaper, and putting our pajamas on. We used to read her a book before bed, but she reads book SO much during the day that she began to connect books to playtime and it became a distraction for us at bedtime.

 

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