Nowadays being a working woman is highly praised. There’s nothing wrong with a working woman, but there’s also nothing wrong with deciding to stay home with your kids.
In fact, staying home to take care of your kids is a job in its own right. A job without vacations or sick days. It can get really tough having all of that responsibility on you all the time, but there are tips and tricks that you can take into consideration to make your job easier.
- Set a Schedule
When you work as a stay-at-home mom, the time in a day can fly by. Before you know it, the day has come to an end, and you haven’t had a conversation with a grownup or left the house. If you’re not careful, it can turn into a cycle of depression, and no set deadlines can end with you doing nothing all day or having difficulty prioritizing what you should be doing. Having a structured schedule in place can allow you to be productive with your time in a way that is satisfying.
A schedule will have you up and back in bed at a specific time every day, providing you and your kids with what to expect from each day. You don’t have to plan every activity. Just consider penciling in when you’ll take naps, have meals, do art projects, watch television shows, and visit the playground. Consistent blocks of time dedicated to one activity will do everyone a favor.
- Network Like You Would Any Other Job
Like you would with any other job you’re pursuing, you should meet with others in your field for advice as well as to rant, have a laugh, swap strategies, and just realize that you’re not alone in what you do.
Besides, you’ll benefit greatly from getting out of the house and interacting with people your own age. It will give you a support group and allow you to fight off loneliness. You can find other moms at preschool, school volunteering, the playground, the library, or any mom-and-toddler groups.
- Don’t Try to Be Perfect
As any other professional in their job, you want to strive to do your best, but you also need to be realistic. You can’t be super-mom.
Kids don’t always want to read books or eat healthy even though you know that’s what’s best for them. There’s nothing wrong with letting them sit in front of the TV and chow down on chicken nuggets every now and then. If your kids are overall healthy and are loved then there’s no need to doubt your abilities as a mom.
Take steps to be a great mom, but don’t be too worried about being a perfect mom. The more you obsess over getting everything right or wrong, the more you’re missing out on just enjoying the time you have with your kids.
- Hire a Coworker
It’s okay to admit that you need a little extra help with taking care of your children. Whether you’re thinking of hiring a nanny or recruiting family members, you can easily find childcare help.
Since staying at home is in your job description, you don’t need to hire a live-in nanny, but having someone come over when you’re feeling overwhelmed can go a long way. In any other workplace, you’d have coworkers there to help you get the work done. Your job as a mom can be done the same way. With an extra pair of hands, making meals and washing baby bottles, you can catch up on sleep or go out with friends, or finally tackle those house projects that your tiny tots never let you finish when you’re on your own.
- Socialize After Hours
Every once and awhile, you want to take a step back from being a mom. Do something completely for yourself. Think about what interests you and use that to get out of the house.
If you love to read, join a book club. If you want to do something a little more to help people then work with a charity. You can do little events as well with friends. Go to an art opening at a museum or library. Take a spa day and get manicures and pedicures with your best friend. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it’s an obligation where you have to be there at a specific time as it will serve as motivation to actually get you out of the house. Schedule these activities every once or twice a week to continuously socialize.
It’s important for you to socialize with other adults because you need to keep your body and mind stimulated to maintain a healthy mental state. Getting out will allow you to connect with people and create a separate identity for yourself beyond being a mom.
The Bottom Line
As a stay at home mom, you’ll have to take on a lot of new responsibilities. One of those might be the person in charge of home finances. To ensure a secure financial future for you and your family, you want to be with a bank that will forgive any financial mistakes you’ve made in the past. The best choice is to choose a bank that doesn’t use ChexSystem. To find out more, visit https://aaacreditguide.com/no-chexsystems-and-second-chance-banks/.
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