A Stay at Home Mom (sahm) Life

From inside or from out, this question comes up in our minds all the time: What Does a SAHM Do All Day?  

Why? Because unfortunately, it is abnormal to be a mom at home in the 21st century. Instead of working less, with all the technological advances, people are actually working more than ever.  

This has contributed to the further breakdown of the family.  Women are gone and come back tired, some not even having the desire to relate to the ones she loves.  She just wants rest or to get something done in the home she hasn’t been in all day.  That would certainly be me.

Sometimes kids come home to an empty house or don’t get the motivation to do their homework.  Mom and Dad may not have the mental perseverance left to discipline their own kids.  I get that too, that happens to me and I am at home.

Now, not everyone falls to this, but it does happen more than it doesn’t.  Moms are definitely stressed and pulled in many directions.  Trying to be productive is hard work when we all just crave rest.

 

Everyone understands this from the standpoint of going to a job, with an employer and a paycheck.  But why does a sahm crave rest?  Isn’t she doing just that all day?

 

If you decide to stay home you will battle this typical mindset all of the time.  You will come up against many questions about what you do, why you do it, and how.  You’ll battle assumptions about your character, worth, and intellect.  Unless you go back to work that is. However, if you opt to stay home longer than the first 6 months of motherhood, you’ve now entered a foreign land.  

 

It is so much against our training and upbringing that many women lack self-discipline and the know-how to make it in this arena.

There is strength in structure but we are so used to our circumstances forcing us into a structure, that we don’t know how to create it on our own.  At least, not successfully.

 

If you think you can wing it and get the house clean whenever it hits you, you are in for a surprise.  And if you are one of those people who think you’ll be able to hit all of the bases, keep your kids looking luxurious, your home perfectly decluttered and look like you are a million bucks – listen up!

 

Just because you are home more than moms who work outside of the home that doesn’t automatically make you the perfect homemaker. But neither does it make you lazy or unintelligent.  

What Do SAHMs Do?

There are many things you will do that are commonplace to all moms, but there are some others that you may have not thought about.  You may be ready to do them all but here is a list in case you hadn’t thought about it.

Get up at all times of the night

Make breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Take 15 minutes to teach them how to tie their shoes

Grocery shopping and meal planning

Cleaning up every mess, all day

No breaks

Diaper changes and last minute runs to the store

Walks

Play dolls, trucks or blocks until you feel like you can’t then do it again

Clean up the kitchen, stop to end an argument to see someone made another mess

Schedule appointments and playdates

Go to said appointments and playdates

Rock your baby to sleep

Reading to your toddler

Organize your budget, pay bills

Having meaningful conversations with your children

Making a meal for another mom

Researching how to save money

Researching many other things

Running errands for your home or husband

Laundry

Inventory

Selling things

Befriending neighbors

Teaching kids how to talk, read, write

Planning vacations, holidays, birthday celebrations

Clipping everyone’s nails and cutting everyone’s hair

Yard work

Changing bed linens

Taking a class (maybe with baby)

 

These are just some things.  Would you like more lists of things to get your life together?

LIFE ORGANIZATION 101 For MOMS

 

Since this blog is for mom’s who struggle with motherhood, not those who are already prepared<< you probably need more than a list of what happens.  You need help knowing how to make it happen, in a way where you aren’t going crazy.

 

How do you get things done at home?

 

Create Routines.

 

As a SAHM/Homeschool Mom of 10 years, I can confidently say I would not get nearly anything accomplished if I didn’t create and stick to a routine.  SAHMs can definitely waste a lot of time, as is the same with anyone.  You have to take your life a little more seriously if you want to be effective and happy.

Now, do my routines create a perfect home?  No.

Do my routines squash those voices telling me I’m not doing enough or that since I’m a SAHM there should never be unfolded clothes?  No.

And don’t expect that anyone around you will understand why there are any dishes in the sink when you were home all day.  

This is where moms need to get tough on the inside.

You need to believe and trust that being at home, nurturing your child, creating the best home you can possibly create within the limits you’ve been given is ENOUGH.

 

No one, even your husband, will be able to make you feel complete inside concerning this.

This is an issue of faith in God vs. faith in your ability to live up to some man-made or self-made standard.  It doesn’t help when others place on you even more weight to carry when it comes to getting it all done. Lay it all down before the Lord.  

Pray and read these scriptures to reinforce your purpose:

• Jame 4:7-10
• 1 Peter 5:6
• Titus 2:5
• Philippians 2:3-8
• Proverbs 3:5

 

How does a sahm create a routine?

I have an arsenal of articles with routines you can create to get your day and life organized.  Here are my best posts on creating routines in the home. But no pressure, do what you can and leave the rest up to God.

 

Most Productive Routine 

 

Simple SAHM Schedule (Learn From Me)

 

How to Create a Marvelous Morning Routine   

 

Everyday Habits and Daily Routines for Moms