How to be a sahm

[mamma2rubypie]

hi all this is my first post new to hub:wave:.

As of tomorrow i will be a sham due to sexual harassment in the work place I have a very active 16month old girl who is very full on we have taken her out of care as I will be home there is just no need for it she will being going back when I'm back at uni next year however it will just be for the time I'm in calss not the whole day. So I've come to the hub looking for some help on how to get things done with a little one running around I've never really been at home I would love to hear what your day is like.

thanks for reading :)

[mumsies]

Hiya, welcome to the life of a SAHM! It has it's ups and downs, it's wonderful to see your child's milestones happen right in front of you and find new ways to have fun with them, however cleaning the messes and dealing with the melt downs is not so much fun, especially being with them 24/7! Before taking your little one out of Daycare find out what her daily routine was and stick with it, if she has always had lunch as 11.30 don't change it to 12.30, you will have chaos! I have a one year old and our day starts at anywhere between 6-7, but there is breakfast getting dressed, the tv is on in the background while he plays and I get the house into routine (dishes in the sink, start the laundry) as well as get myself dressed and I occasionally get to have something to eat. This is till about 9. Then if nice outside, or if shopping needs doing, it's out for a walk, or we play high energy games inside (ball games, hide and seek, bubble popping) that usually covers an hour to an hour and a half, then he goes back to playing by himself quietly while I do some more housework (beds, laundry, dishes, maybe a vacuum if lucky) then from 11-11.30 its quiet play and reading, lunch at 11.30 then off to bed. He can sleep anywhere from 1-3 hours (I'm an online full-time student so this is my study time!!!) then he wakes up in a grump, so I have to spend the next 20 minutes cheering him up, then its playtime together for about an hour (sometimes just with toys other times special activities, like painting, playdough, music..)then he plays by himself while I get the house cleaned up and start getting dinner together, hubby is home at around 6, so we have family catch up time for 30 minutes, then DH and DS play while I get dinner together, we eat together, then DH will give him a bath, we have some stories and around 7-7.30 it's off to bed with him. We also have Playgroup on Tuesday, Church on Sunday, and once every week and a half visit a friend around the corner.
It's so different to work, because you have to be scheduled and flexible in such different ways, and your little ones developmental changes will mean you will constantly be needing to adjust to new schedules and create different opportunities.
I hope you enjoy your time, it really is the most rewarding job in the world!

[jadee22]

Hi there:wave:... Being a sahm is amazing especially after working and being on a schedule. I would suggest that you try to organise a play date or go to playgroup at least once a week or you will go mad! I also make a regular visit to the library and park just to mix our days up a bit. I have been writing lists for what I want to achieve for the day... a sense of accomplishment... you need something lol. Try to get into a routine. I also think that it is important to find a hobby that you are doing just for you otherwise you may get to the point where you have lost yourself.
I hope you enjoy being at home... FYI ;)there still wont be enough hours in the day!

[mamma2rubypie]

Thanks for the advice I have her day planed out just like her daycare not that every day will go to plane I'm sure there will be many off days. I'm lucky we have a really nice park that's along the water near our house so I'll be using that to get myself out I live walkingl there gives me some time to just think, I think I'm worried about losing myself I know it's silly however I've always worked and then I did uni and worked now I'm a mum even with going back to uni next year I still worry that people will only see me as a mum I guess I just need to see it can be done. Really I'm very lucky to be able to stay home and have hubby's support . I don't have many mum friends , uni girls are not "into" babies and work well they hate babies kids anything that takes time away from work.

[bellalika]

I love being a (mostly) stay at home Mum. I'd love to be a full-time SAHM but 6/7 ain't bad. You'll find your groove. I made the mistake of over-planning my days initially and still over-plan my weeks at times. Kids need relax time too.

[krystallxx]

Be flexible .. Get out every few days, even if it's just a walk up the street .. Don't stress to much about the housework (honestly, it's not going anywhere lol), if your a social kind of person maybe join ur local playgroup, start swimming lessons (professional or do it urself) etc .. ATM my day starts at 7am .. Toddlers sit up and watch Dora while I feed/change DD .. Usually about 8 we have breakfast and get dressed, make their beds, clean up from bfast. Either go out now shopping or doing whatever or they will play outside doing their own thing for a while. Usually have lunch around 12, clean up and they will either go back outside or play blocks/cars/story's etc inside. The activity xhanges a million times. By 3ish we usually pack up all the toys and get cleaned up for a snack. Then we might go to the park/walk/paint together/play doh together etc etc usually activity with me involved. If they in a good mood I'll take them into the hospital too see my nan. Dinner on the table by 6, usually takes until 7 to eat it and tidy their dinner mess. Then it's bath, massage, pjs, bed .. By 8-8.30 ... This is a new routine but that's how the last few days have gone. DD just slots in and we makes adjustments depending on her bottles/nap time.

[bg14]

I loved my job and thought I'd be back full-time after 3 months. Well, 9 months on and I'm still a SAHM and love it! I really love looking after my husband and DS. I think I'm really lucky to be able to be a SAHM. I have friends who are jealous!

Our day starts about 7 for DS. I've usually been for a run/swim/Pilates by then and had a shower. We both have breakfast and he'll then crawl around while I tidy, put washing on etc. We usually meet a friend for coffee about 8.30 or go to my Mum's or Nanna's then off to a lesson. Usually out all day. Home by about 3. DS will play while I bring washing in/fold it and get everything for dinner ready then we have stories. He has dinner about 4.45 then we go for a walk along the river to meet DH (he runs or gets the bus home from work). They play until after 6 then he baths him, massage, bottle, bed by 7. Then the night is ours!

We also have Monday - music lessons, Tuesday - rhyme time at the library, Wednesday - swimming lessons, Thursday - all day at my Mum's, Friday - Kindyroo, Saturday - meet group of girls with bubs for a run with prams.

The weeks just fly by!

[mamma2rubypie]

Thanks girls I think I'll have to look into play groups and some other things that we can do together so far our day is going good and I feel like I've made the right choice leaving work.

[MummysYellowCar]

Love the suggestions!

I've made the decision to give up fulltime work after Xmas & be a SAHM / uni student (I'm also a single mum). I have 8 subjects left at uni; will be keeping DS in daycare 1 or 2 days a week to do the preprep program as he's starting school in 2013.

[mamma2rubypie]

What are you doing at uni? :)

[MummysYellowCar]

Doing law... currently have a permanent public service job. My current job & my degree are totally unrelated so I'm not too worried about giving up work. The public service is always looking for lawyers because the pay's terrible so am fairly confident I'll pick up work when I'm finished studying.

[mamma2rubypie]

Nice work I'm in nursing my job was just in a supermarket so really not going to miss that and nursing is something I will pick up a job as soon as I'm done.