While in middle of my peaceful Saturday morning breakfast, I heard a screaming and yelling 5 year old. Mooooommmm!!! help me with wiping, and I remembered its ‘BEING MOMMY TIME’ again. I may have relished the first bite as a vacation, but there I had a marathon ahead. Being a mother is all the Utopian pleasures combined with existent crunch of time. For a stay at home mom, the dynamics tangle even further.
Being a mom is a constant oscillation between ‘AHHH I HAVE DONE ALREADY’ and OHHH I STILL HAVE TO DO’ Most moms would agree, we are counting the minutes from bed to bed. The pleasures of soaking some quality time becomes a fairy tale and we are packed till nose for the tasks ahead. We want to do it all and have it all too at the same time, but the strings keep pulling us back. And we end up being punch bags for most
And then I remembered a few ‘time management’ lessons from my grad school. Of course they help, but they need remodeling to fit our format. A mom with crazy set of kids and husband, need more of a versatile theory to fall back upon.
Here are some handy points on time management for a mom. It works wonderfully for some days and for some there ought to be a little more fun.
1. Take it one at a time: Don’t try to finish it all at once, take things as they come up. Plan ahead but don’t expect it to work on schedule, you have little rovers exploring life around you.
2. Plan your day in advance:
Only the top priorities for the day you need to keep in mind. You may have a party coming up for the night but the day plan begins with morning huddle. Remember the order as they progress
3. Seek easier methods:
My idea, ‘there are always 2 ways to do a task, one is more time consuming which pops up first, the second one doesn’t ring the bell up till you fail on time skills’
For laundry, grocery and other daily chores its great to utilize online shopping or pick-up lines. They save you some time and prevent impulsive buying at bigger stores. Running errands is a part of routine, don’t attempt to make it an experience of a vacation. If you spend more on them you will fail the time test.
4. Make a schedule for kids: The kids need to know their days plan. Make a plan and strive to stick with it for a few months. This has to fit well in their system. If it comes organically the kids become independent early in life.
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5. Utilize mothers day out or night outs at local options around:
Many play-areas, museums and other kids amusement centers have fortnightly time outs planned for moms. Its great to have some quality time on you, to spend just relaxing and unwinding while kids get enriched and amused at a safe area. Check some of our listings to help you find such in your area.
6. Enjoy bonding with kids:
Join some mom-and-baby sessions like yoga, dance, zumba or swimming. This is a great way to unwind and enjoy the moments together.
7. Keep some toys safe:
Don’t introduce all the toys together. Keep some special toys for the times you wish to relax or run errands alone.
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Remember all moms share the same routine, its just that, some learn to utilize little moments efficiently while managing it all. Enjoy every bit, this time would not come back. Just a few years and your kids will have their own ways ahead. Cherish the times together and sneak little moments to save your sanity.
Campnavigator bring you some such enriching activities for your kids. Don’t forget to check our latest camp listings in your area.
By Minu Manisha
