SAHM's Do you have a schedule / routine?

YellowLily2013

Duh! I'm new to this and was just wondering what you all did. Do you wing it? Have a schedule?

Is there anything that makes you feel like you've "accomplished" something?

YellowLily2013

My Goals:

Daily chores (keep kitchen clean / laundry / pick up the house / cook)

Weekly chores (try to do one of these per day, bathroom, mop, etc.)

Monthly chores (do one of these per week, those cleaning tasks that just never seem to get done, baseboards, windows, clean our refrigerator, organize a closet... who knows!)

but sometimes i just want to watch hulu! and bump. So... my ambitions may go down hill!

when the weather is nice i'd like to get a daily walk in and maybe go to story time / play groups.

blondolphn

Noschedule yet. I take my cues from her. She keeps hitting growth spurts and changing her patterns. We start the day with tummy time to vh1 muscle videos. Ican get my coffee run the dishwasher etc during that time. Other than that she eats every two hours and I vary what we do during playtime. I am encouraging some independent play when I can.

YellowLily2013

blondolphn said:

Noschedule yet. I take my cues from her. She keeps hitting growth spurts and changing her patterns. We start the day with tummy time to vh1 muscle videos. Ican get my coffee run the dishwasher etc during that time. Other than that she eats every two hours and I vary what we do during playtime. I am encouraging some independent play when I can.

Yeah, I kind of forgot there were moms with little los! haha

We definitely didn't really have a routine when I was on maternity leave...

haileyq

I'm not a SAHM right now, but I work only 2-3 days a week. I've settled into a little bit of a routine, and I'm sure you'll find what works for you. I'm a busy body so I have no problem getting things done around the house, and especially being at work a few days a week I feel like I have to make up for it on my days off. Anyway, we ALWAYS go to the free story time at our library once a week, and there are a lot of other play groups/activities that we hit up less frequently. And when the weather was nicer, we ALWAYS did a daily walk too. My point of this I guess is I am totally content to stay at home all the time so I make us get out of the house on a regular basis

PipSqueak0313

No real schedule.....but I have found I have to get up fairly early and do/start on the chores I have assigned myself for the day before I sit down with the electronics otherwise the day flies by and I've done nothing.

I try setting lunch for us about noon and on school days I have to pick up ds1 so I have to leave the house by 240.  And then 3 weeknights I work from 6-1015.  That's about the extent of my set schedule.  I also try to schedule all dr and EI appointments for early in the morning when I can so they interrupt my day as little as possible.

Dh, main cook in our family, has taken to spending Sunday, while he's watching ds2 and I'm at work, cooking the main part of the week's meals since I am working MWF evenings and he is teaching Tues evenings.  It makes mealtime so much easier when all I have to do is pop something in to reheat while I'm getting ready before Dh gets home.

nanabanana06

We have routines for the kids. I have schedules posted on the fridge. I have a room to clean per day and laundry scheduled per day, with 1 free day. I also have daily chores like dishes and picking up toys. I have a single shopping day per week as well. I plan meals ahead of time for the week. I'm still getting it perfected and plainly have been kind of lazy about it.

sarenu1

I'd see what your area offers for free. Check your local library and hospital for groups. Our library had free activities for all ages of kids. Our hospital offers some free mommy classes.

I try to establish a morning routine for both kids on the weekend.

Change, breakfast, play as I get ready and enjoy coffee. We have lunch at 11:30-12 and then try to nap at 12:30-1.

Maybe schedule a day for story time, one for a craft project, a community class (swimming, music, free play), and things you want to get done.

YellowLily2013

PipSqueak0313 said:

No real schedule.....but I have found I have to get up fairly early and do/start on the chores I have assigned myself for the day before I sit down with the electronics otherwise the day flies by and I've done nothing.

I try setting lunch for us about noon and on school days I have to pick up ds1 so I have to leave the house by 240.  And then 3 weeknights I work from 6-1015.  That's about the extent of my set schedule.  I also try to schedule all dr and EI appointments for early in the morning when I can so they interrupt my day as little as possible.

Dh, main cook in our family, has taken to spending Sunday, while he's watching ds2 and I'm at work, cooking the main part of the week's meals since I am working MWF evenings and he is teaching Tues evenings.  It makes mealtime so much easier when all I have to do is pop something in to reheat while I'm getting ready before Dh gets home.

Jealous! that your DH is the main cook! That's awesome.

unaveragejane

I set up a weekly menu on Sunday so that I can just do one grocery run during the week. I like to get the upstairs clean on Monday, downstairs on Tuesday, and do a deep kitchen clean on Wednesdays. Thursday and Friday I catch up on whatever I missed earlier in the week. Of course, it all depends on how cooperative DS is being. He hates it when I wash dishes b/c he can't see what I'm doing, so that gets put off a lot more than I would like. (There are some things I just can't put in the dishwasher.) I've warred with myself over what to do at DS's nap time, but lately I've carved that out as "me time." Since DH only helps out with DS from about 5:30 to 7:00 (during which time I'm still working on cooking and cleaning), it makes for a very long day for me if I don't take a break when the little guy is sleeping.

Like one of the PP's, I'm pretty happy staying at home all the time, but I do find that DS enjoys getting out. When the weather is pretty, we go to the library (even not at story time b/c they have a great children's garden), an indoor play place, the park, or just run little errands. In warm weather, I pop him in the stroller and go for a walk/jog 3x a week. He hated the stroller at first, but I kept trying little outings with him until he got used to it.

nanabanana06

Oh, and for outings we like doing things like the library, nature trails, dog park, and our local YMCA. We were doing mommy and me swimming lessons with Cade twice a week. It was fun and great for Cade. Now that he's 1 he can do the drop in classes like toddler music and motion or toddler tumbling. I do try to make sure that they get some outings and interactions. My BWI hosts playdates, walks, wrap parties, ect every month as well. Which is great for the kids to interact with kids their own age.

unaveragejane

@Nana_Osaki06 - What is BWI? I can only think of airport when I see that.

Also, is it just me, or did they order that kitten in the low-rider version?

YellowLily2013

Baby wearers international?? That's all I can come up with.

nanabanana06

Yup. Baby wearers international.

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LatteLady5

At the moment, no. DS wants to be held or worn all the time and DD is dropping her nap I just can't get a lot done or do a lot of things consistently. Plus, it's winter and it's so freaking cold I just hate hauling the kids out.

I try to get the dishes done and laundry rolling and but they rarely get put away before DH gets home. I do vacuum several times a day because we have a high shedding Aussie and DS loves the sound of the vacuum. Also, we just don't have a lot to do around here. The library and the park are pretty much it as far as kid friendly places. Living in a rural area definitely has it's downsides.

I figure in a month or so when DS settles more and DD adjusts to no nap and I can go outside without developing frostbite we'll get back into a routine.

YellowLily2013

bookitup said:

Reading this is making me really, really want to be a SAHM.

I know it's not an easy gig at all, but reading through your schedules makes me jealous. I have the serious hates for my job right now. 

It's all a strange balance. I'm still coming to grips not "working"... It's scary both financially and career wise, and sanity wise. You just have to do what is right for your family. And I've told my husband if me staying at home ends up not being the right choice I will gladly go back to work to provide for my family.

Danie007

I have a weird schedule mon-thur I teach dance, so I have to leave the house to get the boys to my sister's and p/u L from school by 2:30.

I wake up at 6, and nurse/pump, get myself ready, and start diaper laundry before waking the older two up. While they are eating breakfast I wash the dishes. We leave at 8:40 to get L to school. M-T we get home by 9. I try to clean at least one room, and setup a load of regular laundry. 12-1:30 the boys nap, I get ready for work, and fold diapers. When they wake up J eats lunch, and we get ready to go.

Fridays are shopping days. That usually takes most of the morning. After school we try and do something fun.

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nanabanana06

unaveragejane said:

@Nana_Osaki06 - What is BWI? I can only think of airport when I see that.

Also, is it just me, or did they order that kitten in the low-rider version?

I answered the first question, but not the second! The cat is a Munchkin. Which is pretty much the Corgi of the cat world. Normal sized body, but stubby legs.

nanabanana06

Oh, and being a SAHM is not for me. I do it out of necessity though. I have to schedule and plan to keep myself sane. My house is way messier than when I worked, I feel like nothing is ever done, and I usually have a headache by bedtime. I love love love my kids and do everything I can for them. I miss the fulfillment working brought to me. Which is funny, since I hated my last job. I liked not feeling dependent.

YellowLily2013

Chickypoo2468 said:

Just the subject line makes me laugh. I can't even finish the rest.

Whaaaa? You need to schedule the butt hole checking.

runningyogimama

SAH isn't for me, but I'm doing what I have to do for our family while I go back to shool, and that mean staying home with DD (and soon to be LO) during the day, and either working or going to class at night. Since getting pregnant again, I'm effing exhausted, and all I really have energy for when I'm at home is sleeping, so my house is constantly a mess, which drives me crazy. I can't wait to go back to sleep deprived tired!

I did join a mom's club thing, but it sucks because DD takes a midday nap usually, rather than a morning and/or afternoon nap, so doing anything with them interrupts precious nap time, and she won't make it up later. And I need her to nap so she's not grumpy and so that I can nap, or else I'm falling over by 10 or 11pm when I get home.

We have a rough schedule we follow for sleep and meals/snack time, but other than that, she just runs from room to room playing, and I try to keep up with her. Once it warms up again, we'll go back to going for walks every morning.

freezorburn

I'm pretty sure SAH is not for me, but right now with DH's travel schedule I don't know how to get back to work and still make sure DS and the dog's needs are met. Maybe I can find something part time, but we'll see.

Our "routine" is pretty flexible. We don't really look a the clock. I just have to make sure that meals and snacks occur at regular intervals, make sure the dog gets a walk. DS is at DC 2x a week so that is making it a bit easier on me. We have a couple of mom & baby activities that we do together during the week - drop-in coffee group, music class, tumbling class. The rest is just filling the time with play and reading.

I feel like I've accomplished something if I've managed to do something not baby related! Tidying up an area of the house, or getting laundry put away can be really hard to accomplish. I'm trying to take on a few creative projects just for my own sanity. We'll see how it goes.