The Ultimate SAHM Schedule
Time is a tricky thing, especially after having kids. From balancing everyone’s schedules along with trying to find time to take care of ourselves, it’s easy to feel like there’s not enough hours in the day. Most days, I feel as though time has gone sideways in my home. Being home with two small children, has taught me a lot over the last year, especially patience :) I’ve learned that finding the perfect balance between self-care, childcare, and household tasks can be challenging but it can be done by prioritizing a schedule and maximizing on the little of time you do have each day. I know it can seem daunting but after being home this past year I feel like I finally have a grasp on an effective schedule that’s sure to keep you and your kids on track!
First and foremost, I’ve always thrived when I have some sort of schedule or routine in place. For me, seeing a visual schedule laid out each day helps me feel less overwhelmed and not as forgetful. Mom brain is a thing! To help me stay organized and plan my daily routines, I highly recommend this digital calendar. It’s a Wi-Fi smart touchscreen and allows you to app synch with multiple phones (even my hubby’s!) I also love it for meal planning so I’m not scrambling every night deciding what I’m going to feed the kids, even though they would both eat Mac and Cheese every night if they could :) I’ve learned that a balanced stay-at-home mom schedule is crucial to ensure your days run smoothly, along with maintaining your sanity. Breaking your day down into manageable time blocks is the first step. Let’s start with my morning routine - insert all the coffee.
Morning Routine
I truly believe how you start your day sets the tone for the rest of your day. It can be as simple as making your bed every morning. It makes you feel a sense of accomplishment that can kick start your day in the right direction. Most importantly, I’ve come to realize that prioritizing a morning routine before my kids wake up is essential and so beneficial for my mental health. It was hard at first waking up before the kids because I just wanted to get in as much sleep as possible but waking up even half an hour before them has been so beneficial for me in more ways than one. Whether it’s a morning meditation, workout or simply just sipping my coffee in peace (my favorite thing!), prioritizing self-care sets me up for a more calm and successful day with my kids. I even like to catch up on some shows during this time. My favorite right now is Southern Charm. I love Molly, she’s so down to earth!
Once I’ve savored all my morning alone time, I shift my focus on getting the kids up and ready. My number one tip is to get everything ready and laid out the night before. It can be annoying and something you want to put off but trust me when you’re running around like a crazy person the next day trying to get your kids ready and out the door, you’ll be thanking yourself later. Since both my kids are little (my son goes to day care part time) I usually will dedicate days that I have just my daughter to cleaning the house, grocery shopping or running a couple errands. On the days when I have both kids, I will dedicate an hour or more of my morning that involves some type of activity with the kids. This could be something as simple as on Tuesday’s we do craft projects and on Thursday’s we focus on sensory play. Blake and Blaire have been loving these sensory bins. I sometimes am able to hop on my Peloton or walk on my treadmill because the bins keep them very busy (win-win for everyone!) I’ve also been loving these spring activities on crappy days when I feel like I’m going to lose my mind being stuck inside with the kids. Can’t wait for warmer weather up here in MA!
Afternoon Routine
Next up is lunchtime. Definitely a crucial component to our day that allows both my kids and I to get our energy back up and get past that mid-day slump. Don’t be too hard on yourself to curate a perfect lunch for your kids every day. I try to focus on a balanced meal that includes meat, veggies and fruit. Somedays we’ll all just have a big bowl of mac and cheese and that’s ok. I used to let the kids watch tv during this time, but I started to cut that habit out and focus on each other’s company. I remember one of my favorite childhood memories was something so simple as eating together and sharing our days with one another as a family. As crazy as lunchtime can get, I try and take this time to just sit, relax and catch my breath for a couple minutes. If you’re looking for quick, balanced meals for toddlers, my kids have been loving Nurture life meals. They are doing a promotion now where you get 50% off your first week and 20% off your second and third weeks. Here is the promo code if you’re interested - Menus | Healthy Kids Meal Delivery Service | Nurture Life.
I will say after lunchtime I feel like I’m just straight up exhausted and look forward to naptime. My son who just turned three is somewhat boycotting naps right now so we are calling it quiet time where he can sit in his room and read some books. Somedays it just doesn’t work out and, in that case, I will let him watch a show while Blaire sleeps. We are super into all things Paw Patrol at the moment. Can’t get the theme song out of my head, moms iykyk.
When the late afternoon arrives, and we’re done with nap/quiet time, I will take the kids for a walk or let them play outside if it’s nice out. During the colder months, I usually will take them to our local kids’ gym or museum that will get us to dinnertime. Sometimes, I will switch our morning activities to the afternoon and vice versa. On some days, I find that going to our local gym in the morning is better to get the kid’s energy out and then in the afternoon I’ll devote an hour to activities. If you’re local to Western MA, I would highly recommend My Gym or Amelia’s Park Children’s Musuem. I’m also looking forward to taking them to Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory this spring. I’ve heard great things!
Evening Routine
You’ve almost made it! It’s that time of day where I begin to prepare dinner. Usually, my husband is just getting home when the kids are eating so we usually will have a snack and eat with them because as I mentioned before I truly believe in sitting down and eating together as a family. It’s such an important value I want to teach my kids. I also have been involving Blake in the dinner prep process because it teaches him valuable skills, such as understanding measurements and following recipes. It can be messy and slow down the process, but I try and remember that I won’t get these moments back and I’m setting him up for success later in life.
Post dinner, we will unwind as a family. For us that usually entails my husband rough housing with Blake (God Bless) while I play with Blaire. I will also say I’m very lucky because my husband gives me time to decompress while he plays with the kids. I definitely will take advantage of this time whether that means aimlessly scrolling Tik Tok or just sitting in silence :)
It’s finally that time; let the bedtime routine commence! I can finally see the end to a long day in sight. I would be lying if I said, I don’t get a little excited when bedtime rolls around. Setting up a routine for the kids at night has been so vital. It gets them in the mindset that it’s time for bed, or so I like to think. Don’t get me wrong, Blake is a loose cannon most of the time before bed and sometimes the whole routine can go out the window. I’m right there with you! However, establishing a routine has really helped and created a smoother transition to sleep. It looks like the following for us:
Take a bath
Put on our pajamas
Brush our teeth
Read a book, or a few :)
Go to the bathroom
Lights out
I also recently bought this bedtime checklist for Blake, and it keeps him on track! I know how hard this time of day can be, but I try and stay as calm and patient as possible because the minute I show a little frustration, it’s like I’m starting their bedtime routine all over. I never knew what patience truly was until I became a mom.
Time for Mom and Dad
Once Blake and Blaire are down for the night, my hubby and I will sit down and have dinner together. I found that spending one-on-one time is so beneficial as it can be hard to carve out time during the day since we both are moving in a million directions. We also love to watch new shows together and are currently watching Night Agent on Netflix. Let me know if you have any other good recommendations! I also have learned that turning my phone off or putting it away after 8-9 PM can help me prioritize better sleep so I’m not aimlessly scrolling late at night.
At the end of the day, do what works best for you and your family! You know your kids best but I’m here to tell you that mastering your day as a stay-at-home mom is achievable! It takes time and effort to get a schedule in place but sooner than later once you’ve established what works or doesn’t, your routine will be a well-oiled machine. If I could leave any advice, and I’m saying this to myself too, it would be to embrace the journey while your home. Your house isn’t always going to be clean, there will be loads of laundry, and you might feel like you’re failing, but enjoy all the precious moments you can with your kids while they are little. Motherhood is hard yet beautiful but always remember hard right now is not hard forever.
