1. Who are you?
I am a mom of 3 (6, almost 5, and 2). I work at a local small business part time, and as a postpartum doula . When I’m not doing my paying gigs, you can find me pushing a double stroller behind a bike or two, and with a toddler strapped to my back walking to my cousins house down the road for some sanity. Being outside is my and my kids happy place.
2. When is your favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is in the morning when I get to sit in “my chair” and drink my coffee and eat my breakfast. We are early risers in my house, so I’m usually doing this before the rest of the world is awake and we have plenty of time to slow down before we need to be anywhere.
Our routine is: kids get up, then wake me up, I get them their breakfast, they watch a little tv while they eat, then I get to enjoy my coffee and breakfast in silence (and sometimes in the dark) in my favorite chair in the house.
It’s usually the only time of day that someone isn’t needing something immediately, and I don’t feel obligated to do chores (I haven’t woken up enough to recognize the chores that need to be done!). It seriously is bliss.
3. When is your most chaotic time of day?
Without a doubt the time that I get my kids from school and the time dinner is put on the table, so from 4:15-5:30. I’m juggling: kids asking for snacks, me telling them I’m making dinner, making sure homework is getting done, dealing with a cranky 2.5 year old (because she’s on a napping strike), me trying to make dinner, feeding the dog (who is inevitably begging), unpacking school bags, emptying/loading the dishwasher. I feel overwhelmed almost every day this happens. And, then my kids claim they don’t like the dinner I made!
4. What is your mom chaos confession?
I walk to pick up my kids from their elementary school (it takes longer to get in the car and wait in the line than it does to walk). My cousin and I help each other out on days we work (we both work part time) and split the kid pick up. So, on days I’m home I have 5 kids (6, 5, 4, 2 and 1) that I’m walking with. I push a double stroller and wear a toddler. Inevitably, someone wants to sit in the stroller (there’s only seats for 2 bums), the toddler wants to get out of the back carrier, and someone is crying for a snack.
On rainy days, we put on our rain boots and splash in the puddles on the sidewalk. Yesterday, the 2.5 year old wanted to splash, the almost 5 year old wanted to push the stroller, the 5 year old wanted to sit in the stroller (but not if the almost 5 year old was going to be pushing), and the 6 year old wouldn’t do anything. Right in the parking lot of the school, as buses and cars were trying to get by us. I couldn’t win! But, 30 seconds later everyone was happily jumping in the largest puddle they’d ever seen and all was forgotten.
5. What is your best tip for managing the chaos?
For me it’s given up caring what other people think. I don’t think about what they are thinking of me (mostly, because I don’t have the mind space to do so). My goal is just to have kids that know I love them, and that we have fun doing it. Usually, having fun ends up leading to some sort of chaos, and that’s ok!
6. What does a typical day in your chaos look like?
530am: My alarm goes off (some days the boys are up already playing in their room). I get dressed for the day
6am: Kids are allowed to go downstairs for breakfast, tv, etc. My husband leaves for work.
645am: We are headed out the door for school drop off and me to get to work on days I have to get to work.
845am: We begin the walk to school for 850 drop off (on days I’m home)
The kids that don’t go to school end up doing errands with me, or meeting up for a playdate with someone.
12pm: lunch time!
1pm: Attempt to get the 2.5 year old to nap
1:30pm: Nap Fail. TV turned on so I can get a little time to do chores unassisted (and drink another cup of coffee).
245pm: walk to get kids from school.
415-530pm: Come home (on working days)Dinner making, homework doing, cranky chaos
6pm: bath then tv time for kiddos (so I can clean up dinner aftermath)
6-630pm: Husband arrives home
7 pm: Books and bed for Toddler
730pm: Books and bed for big boys
830 pm: Mama goes to bed!
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