Hi everyone,
Just wanted to ask other mums how everyone keeps their household running relatively smoothly?
I know there is no such thing as a perfect household but seriously this place is nuts.
I have 3 children, two toddlers and one school aged child and every day life is a constant battle. I admit that I have let things become this way over the past year as my two youngest have gotten into the more challenging age groups. I've let a lot of poor behavior slide and turned plenty blind eye's because I didn't want to deal with the shit fight that would have taken place if I did. ( tip: don't do this, trust me it backfires and turns into a multiplied shit fight down the track)
My partner isn't working at the moment and I thought this would make thing's easier but it has stayed the same.
So without getting into the details about what each family member (including myself) does to help create this shit fight (I'd honestly be here typing all day) I guess I'm asking for advice on what ways other mums and dads have got their family life back on track again?
I'd love to hear what routines, chores etc work in other households. I honestly feel like I need the super Nanny but the odds of that happening aren't that high so it's up to me to get my shit together and take charge again.
Thanks everyone
1 Replies
I find de cluttering and getting rid of excess crap and toys out of the house a really good start. It's hard to keep organised when your living in a potential hoard. Plus I find my kid wouldn't actually play with the toys when he had too many, just throw them around, break them and create chaos. What do you genuinely need, what can go? What's do the kids play with, how many stuffed toys does a child actually need? That sort of thing. Be brutal. Get your storage sorted. Shelves, baskets, boxes to store toys in.
Child proofing was a must for me, I had one of THOSE kids and making sure precious things were somewhere safe and chemicals were genuinely locked away and put away everytime (not those stupid child locks) made a huge difference. Cleaning as I went, not spotless but tidy.
Getting my ratbag out of the house to the park or outside or for a swim, because if you aren't home you can't trash the house!! Plus wearing the bugger out. Also even though I did used to play it was a good time to drink a takeaway coffee.
Minimising work load, cooking double, so I only have to cook every second night or so, prompt the kids to hang there towels up after there bath, and make a routine of packing toys away as a family at the end of the day before bath. It only takes ten minutes when you do it with them. Bed making and ironing is for other people, I dont own an iron, so things just get folded/ hung up.
I no longer vacuum, I have a robot. I love it.
My bedroom is my child free haven, it is set up exactly for me and no kids allowed unless they knock. I know that sounds harsh, but it saves my sanity to have one room where I can go at the end of the day and it's mine, it doesn't have sticky hand prints on the wall or toys on the floor. It has pretty things (I'm dirt poor so mostly second hand items). My privacy is respected (I did have a lock on the door while this rule was learnt but don't need it anymore). Of course I might invite a child who is unwell into my bed but that's now under my control. My sanctuary is my sanctuary.
Anyway these are things that have helped me