Welcome to our series Charleston Moms FAVORITES! In a season of parenting that feels especially hard, our team is excited to share some of the things that are making us happy and helping us get through the days.
Being a stay-at-home-mom requires a set of special skills…one of those being a toolbox of practical coping skills to stay sane during the day.
Below you will find a list of my personal survival tools for being a SAHM:
- 6 AM Alarm
I know we all hate to hear it, but my alarm clock is a necessary key tool. I realized early on in my motherhood journey that waking up to my children screaming “I’m hungry” or “I want to watch a show” did not help me start my day on the right side of the bed. I realized I HAD to get up early to get myself dress, groomed, and have some quiet time to read or study before my kids woke up. Sometimes I would get 30 minutes to myself, sometimes an hour. Either way, the quiet was invaluable! (I would also enroll the help of my husband to help me wake up when I wanted to sleep in!)
Check out some more tips on how to wake up earlier.
- My Big Fat Weekly Planner
I know, I know… we’ve heard this all before. Get dressed, use a planner, drink water… these are the keys to thriving as a stay at home mom. And though they seem monotonous, they are pretty accurate. And ladies, you haven’t seen my planner. It is uh-mazing. Not only does it feel like I’m a grade-school teacher with a lesson plan book on her desk, but this planning tool has been such a huge help in keeping me on task in all of the areas of my life and home, including my business.
- The Coffee
Look, I like Starbucks. Nothing can compare to a cold, delicious frappuccino on a hot day. But the cost? Yeah, this momma is on a budget! Now, if I am looking for a mommy treat, I always go to Dunkin’ Donuts to get an iced coffee while I am out and about. Treat yo’ self! I like Dunkin’ more than Starbucks because it is easier to gain points (we all know about those apps with points, ahem, Chik-Fil-A) and every couple of orders you get a free drink. Plus it’s half the cost (or more) of a Starbucks drink. They also run specials throughout the week to get double the points. Win-win!
- Mommy Podcasts and FB VLogs
What comes in, comes out, right? Even on Spotify! Being a SAHM is exhausting and overwhelming at times. Sometimes you just need reminders that it is going to be okay and that you aren’t the only one who has been through this stage of no sleep, crazy kids, and a messy house. For Christians, I really enjoy the Thankful Homemaker and The Real Life Podcast. For a take on mental health encouragement and a good dose of reality checks, I really enjoy Juggling the Jenkins and Kristina Kuzmic. Tiffany does a great job in Juggling with the Jenkins at bringing real-life mommying and mental health awareness in a way that is easily relatable and oh so funny. Kristina does a great job of reminding us that no one is perfect in their motherhood and we need to give more grace to ourselves. We owe it to ourselves to get good, positive things in our hearts so we are able to pour it out on ourselves, our families, and our marriages.
- My Baby Carrier
Y’all, if you don’t know, I have a three-year-old, two-year-old, and a four-month-old. Life is crazy! Even though I enjoy it (most days), I can’t just sit around all day and hold a baby while my other two children endanger themselves or something else!
Enter in, the baby carrier. I have four of them. I have the Moby Wrap, the Ergo-Baby, the Wildbird, and some random carrier from Walmart that I really like even though it was inexpensive. I know it seems a little overkill, but I have my reasons.
These are perfect for different uses and ages. The Moby Wrap is perfect for when they are first born and it’s the cooler time of year. Same for the Wildbird. The Wildbird is good around the house, but not if you’re doing something really active because it requires more support from your arms. The Walmart carrier has been great for running errands, working around the house, and for the summertime. The Ergo-baby is by far the best for activity, support, and over four months of age.
I hope this gives you a couple of more tools in your mommying with sanity toolkit. Be on the lookout for more posts, just like this one!
Let us know in the comments what you do to keep your head above water as a SAHM!
Did you miss the first installment of our Charleston Moms FAVORITES series? Check it out!
Charleston Moms FAVORITES: 8 Things Giving Me Life Right Now
