Oh momma, your house is chaotic, your kids are out of control, and you are utterly exhausted. You need a better SAHM routine.
If you are facing crazy, stressful days as a stay-at-home mom, then chances are it’s not your kids – and it’s not you. It’s your daily SAHM schedule.
I can tell you this because I have been there, done that. 🙋🏻♀️ I’m a good mom; an experienced mom. And yet, even as a seasoned veteran, I was surprised when I couldn’t handle being home with my three youngest that first year.
I passed it off as the twins being babies. But, when they were 18 months, and things were still incredibly chaotic, I knew something was off.
It happens to the best of us, Momma. So put those kiddos down for a nap and grab a hot cup of coffee. Let’s talk. 😉
In this post, I’ll go over three incredibly obvious signs that you need a better SAHM routine. If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, then we need to have a chat!!
Symptom #1: your house is a disaster
Do you find it hard to get regular household chores and responsibilities done?
Occasional dirty dishes left until morning, a bathroom that hasn’t been scrubbed for a couple of weeks, carpets that need vacuuming – these are all very normal messes. When you bring your little bundle of joy home from the hospital, that sweet baby is going to eat up the majority of your time.
But if your child is nearing one year, and you still find it hard to vacuum, you have a problem.
If you can’t even find your floor, then you definitely have a problem.
Is it hard to locate hats, gloves, coats, even, when it’s time to leave the house? I once had trouble keeping track of shoes – every time it was time to leave, I’d find them downstairs! Did I need a better SAHM routine?
By the time your child is one year old, you should be able to get a few routine things done around the house. Supper should be made every night. Yes, it will still be a struggle, but it should be doable.
Your bathrooms should be fairly clean. Your house should be organized. If you lose track of things, if you have so much stuff all over the place that it is incredibly hard for your child to sit on the floor and play – well then, you need a better SAHM routine.
If you just cannot find the time to pay the bills or balance the checkbook, you need a better SAHM routine.
If your kids go to school in dirty clothes, or your hubby has to dig socks out of the hamper, then you definitely need a better SAHM routine.
To create a better SAHM routine, you need consistency, discipline, and the ability to prioritize
If your house is a disaster, it is a sign that you do not have a daily SAHM schedule. You lack a cleaning routine. Maybe you also lack consistency and discipline. You might even lack the support you need, to get it all done.
Or maybe it is hard to prioritize. With all of the chaos around you, it can be difficult to know what to tackle first. You have such limited time! You can only work in quick, little spurts of activity. So how do you know what to do first?
And why even try? The minute you get it all cleaned up the kids are just going to tear it all apart again!!
Funny story
When my kids used to ask me why they had to make their beds in the morning, because they were just going to crawl right back into it that night, I used to reply with, “Why do I have to feed you? You’re just going to be hungry again in a couple of hours.” They’d roll their eyes and make their beds. 😂 🤣
Knowing what to tackle first, having the consistency and the discipline; these are things that you can easily build into a great daily SAHM schedule. Even getting the support you need! You can build that into your daily routine as well.
Once your house is in order, you will feel better. You won’t be as stressed out and your days will be more peaceful. You won’t feel like you are constantly in a panicked, frenzied mom mode. You will calmly and easily be able to move from one activity to the next throughout your day.
Your kiddos will also play better. They will play together better, and they will play independently better. This is because kids can easily become over-stimulated in a chaotic environment.
Just as you feel calmer and in control when your environment is organized, kids feel like they can focus and play more calmly when there is room to play. If they can find the toys they are looking for, it is easier to play. And if there are too many toys available, they can feel overwhelmed with choices and choose not to play at all.
What do they do when they can’t play?
They get naughty. 😈
Symptom #2: You have naughty, whiny, needy children
Are your kids crying all of the time? Whining? While some fussing is perfectly normal, constant crabbiness can be a sign of something more.
If you’ve seen your doctor and ruled out medical issues, it might be time to look at your daily SAHM routine.
Do your kids do what you tell them to? Or do they constantly get into power struggles with you? Are they continuously asking you to play with them?
Are your kids fighting all of the time? Can you hold a conversation with your better half, or briefly talk on the phone, without being interrupted?
You may think you have a discipline issue. And you could be right. But you also could have a simpler answer; a daily scheduling issue.
Kids need to know what to expect in their day. You don’t like to start your day out without knowing what’s on your plate for the day – do you have doctor’s appointments? Errands to run? What will you have for dinner?
Just as you need to have some idea of the day ahead, so do kids.
Routines allow kids to feel safe. When they know what to expect, they feel like they have a better handle on their day. And they take comfort in knowing that.
They are more eager and willing to learn new things, when they feel confident in the skills they already have. And they learn to feel confident when they can predict how their day is going to go. Just as you and I do.
When we’ve been in the same situation before, through the same routine, our confidence grows.
Managing themselves, their day, and their environment prepares your kids for unexpected changes. They can handle themselves better when they’ve done the same thing, in the same way, as before.
Children handle change best in the context of a familiar routine
“Children’s fear of the unknown includes everything from a suspicious new vegetable to a major life change,” states an article in Aha! Parenting. And routines help children deal with their fear of the unknown. Routines provide stability and security.
If your child is acting out consistently, it could be because he just doesn’t know what to expect of the day. And if he doesn’t know what’s coming next, it can be incredibly scary. At the very least, it will be unsettling for him.
You and I thrive when we know what to expect. So does your child.
You can better manage your child’s behavior on a daily basis with a better SAHM routine.
Symptom #3: You feel like a hot mess
I love this term, “hot mess”. 😂 🤣 It cracks me up! Mostly because it’s relatively new slang, and I’m too old for slang…
But, if you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and completely at a loss for how to handle nearly everything, then you not only could be a “hot mess”, but you also most likely do not have a good daily SAHM schedule.
If you find yourself falling asleep utterly exhausted at the end of the night…
If your kids have more energy than you do during the day….
If you easily break out into tears or scream and holler over things that normally don’t bother you….
You might be struggling with your daily SAHM routine.
If you don’t have a good SAHM routine, you will find yourself lonely, stressed out, and frustrated. Trying to manage it all will feel completely and utterly hopeless, to the point where you think “why try?” and give in.
Creating even more chaos.
Well, momma, it’s time to kill the chaos!!
A better SAHM routine will bring back meaning to your days! It’ll help you to maintain consistent parenting expectations as well. When your kids know what to expect from you, day in and day out, they stop fighting every little decision you make.
And then you can concentrate on loving your babies, playing with them, and spending quality time with them. Instead of putting out fire after fire and managing all kinds of mischief, you’ll be chasing butterflies, sharing ice cream, and snuggling up for a good story.
Now, doesn’t that sound so much better, Momma?
The time is now. If you are ready for better days at home with your kiddos, then let’s get started!!
More on Sahm Schedules
12 Super Important Benefits to a Daily SAHM Routine
The Secret to a Great Stay-At-Home Mom Schedule
How to Create a Daily SAHM Routine Using Time Chunking
Wanna Create the Best Ever Stay at Home Mom Schedule? Here’s How!