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It’s been almost two years since I decided to become a stay-at-home mom. I am thankful every day to be able to stay home with our boys. It’s not a glamorous job – the days are long and sometimes truly exhausting. There are days where I feel like I’ve got it together and other days where I am counting down the minutes until Hubs comes home to help me. But it is my favorite job and I wouldn’t trade the time I get to spend with my boys for anything.
But what in the world do stay-at-home moms do all day long? To be honest, I ask myself this some days. I especially ask myself this on days that don’t feel particularly productive.
When I worked outside of the home, I had specific tasks and projects that changed all the time. When I finished one project, I moved on to the next. Now that I stay home, I still have specific tasks and projects. It’s just that more often than not, once I finish a task, it won’t be long until the same task needs to be done again. And again. And again. Laundry. Meal Prep. Cooking. Grocery lists. Shopping. Picking up toys. Making the bed. Repeating the rules and reminding myself to practice patience.
But then there are all the fun things – story time at the library, playtime at the park, play dates, walks around the neighborhood and getting to know our neighbors. There are arts and crafts and rainy day activities. There’s learning and imagining, reading, singing, dancing, and yes, even our favorite shows and videos on the television. There are kisses and hugs and so much laughing. These are the things that make the job worth it. These are all the things I don’t want to miss.
But I digress.
Staying at home is still very much a job though. And frankly, I really like to think of it that way. As a stay-at-home mom, I choose to take on the responsibility not only of teaching our kids during the day (although this is the most important role), but I also am responsible to create and implement systems in our home that keep things running smoothly for the whole family. (Of course, many times this involves delegating things to Hubs for help and teaching Little to help with chores as he’s able.) But nonetheless, the system is largely my responsibility.
Thankfully, I am finally feeling like we are getting back into a good routine with some level of predictability since having our littlest (Hug) so today I’m sharing a peek into our daily life.
If you’ve ever wondered what stay-at-home moms do all day, this post is for you.
Morning
7:00 – 8:00 We wake up and start our day. We made a rule for Little that he needs to stay in his room until at least 7:00. He comes to our room immediately when he wakes up for some extra snuggles. Sometimes he falls back asleep, but most often he lets us know he wants to get up and play. Hug tends to wake up anywhere between 7:30 and 8:00.
* I try to sneak out of bed and get to the bathroom a few minutes before everyone else gets up so I can get myself ready for the day ahead of time. Before Hug was born, I had gotten into a great routine of getting up before everyone else. I’m hoping to get back to that, since it really increases my productivity, but we’re still in newborn land over here, so it’s not happening right now.
8:00 Hubs takes Little to begin his own schedule. Little knows that he needs to get a “new, clean diaper”, brush his teeth, and at least choose play clothes for the day before coming downstairs. Once he does these things, Little plays on his on for a bit while Hubs takes a quick shower.
I change Hug and feed him upstairs before heading downstairs.
8:15 Hubs brings Little downstairs to start his breakfast.
8:20 I get downstairs and start to heat up my breakfast. It’s almost always the same – a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and maple syrup. Hubs heads upstairs to finish getting ready for work.
8:30 We say a family prayer and Hubs heads out to work. Little and I go over our plans for the day and I remind him of anything specific that we need to do to get ready.
9:00 Little watches a show and I prepare for our morning activities.
Late Morning/Early Afternoon
This is a make or break part of our day, to be honest. We’re finishing up breakfast, trying to get ready for our day, and baby Hug is right on the cusp of needing to go back down for a nap.
9:15 Hug starts getting ready for his morning nap just after 9. If we’re staying home, I take him upstairs to nap in his pack-n-play. If we’re heading out, I start packing my bag and double check I have all the things we need for the morning (diapers, snacks, water bottles, extra clothes, etc). I also make sure to grab my Baby K’tan Active Carrier. I used the Baby K’tan Original Carrier when Little was a baby, but I’ve been using the Baby K’tan Active Carrier with Hug since we are moving into warmer weather. What I love about this carrier is that it is really lightweight, wicks away sweat, and blocks 90% of UVA and UVB rays. This was really important to me since Hug is too young for most sunscreen products right now. I take this with me anytime I’m heading out with both boys – especially if I’m by myself.
9:30-9:45 Head out of the house for our morning activities. Yes, it usually takes at least 30 minutes to get everyone out of the door. #truelife We try to head out of the house about three times a week. Mondays are usually the grocery store and then we go to the library twice a week for story time. Now that the weather is getting warmer though, we’ll start incorporating more playground time and play dates. Baby wearing is absolutely essential for me when we are out of the house. It allows me to push the shopping cart (and still have room for my groceries) and to walk around the playground or library with Little while he plays.
10:00 If it’s Monday, we’re almost always going to the grocery store. And since it’s Hug’s nap time, he will most likely fall asleep in the car on the drive. I simply transfer him into the carrier and he goes right back to sleep.
11:15 Load up the car again and bring everyone back home. I always try to be home just before Hug’s nap is over so that I can start getting lunch ready while he’s sleeping.
11:30-12:00 I get lunch ready for Little and myself while Hug finishes up his nap. If we’ve been out, I’ll wear Hug while I prep lunch so that he can get his last bit of nap in.
Once Hug wakes up, I nurse him and play while Little finishes up his lunch.
12:30 More playtime. Pretty quickly after lunch, I try to start getting Little thinking about his own nap. Hug has about a 60-75 minute window before he’s ready for his afternoon nap, so I let the boys play together a little during this time.
Naptime
12:45 Nurse Hug and try to get him down for his afternoon nap. Little plays (hopefully) quietly during this time. Often, he’ll come into our room and I’ll read quietly to him while I’m nursing.
1:00 Get Little down for his afternoon nap. For a while, I thought that Little had given up his afternoon nap. He refused them for the first few weeks after we brought Hug home. Now that Hug is on a more predictable schedule, I’ve been able to give Little more individual attention to get him down for his nap again.
We read 2 books sitting in his bed and then lay down to read 2 more books. Then we close our eyes and “think about going to sleep”. This whole process usually takes about 15-30 minutes and Little will nap from 1.5-2 hours.
1:30 I use any time that I have with both boys napping to work on the blog, clean up the kitchen, or try to knock some things off of my to-do list.
2:15 Hug wakes up and eats. We play on the activity gym and practice tummy time while we wait for Little to wake up and join us.
Post Nap
3:30 Little wakes up from his nap. I get his afternoon snack ready and we talk a little about what we might want to do in the afternoon.
3:45 Now that it’s warmer, we have been trying to spend sometime in the afternoon outside. Most days this looks like taking a walk. I use my Baby K’tan Active Carrier for this, too since we don’t have a double stroller yet (and Hug is too small to sit in the stroller without his car seat). It’s great to be able to get outside and not worry about Hug missing his last nap of the day. Also, because I know that Hug will nap in the carrier, I don’t feel trapped inside when the weather is nice later in the day either.
After our walk, we spend time playing in the yard, or the garage and driveway. Sidewalk chalk is a favorite this time of year around here.
5:15 We head back inside and start getting dinner ready. Little plays during this time or helps me in the kitchen if there is something simple he can do. I usually let Hug sit in his bouncer chair while we get dinner ready and in the oven. Having him in the bouncer chair lets me still engage with him while keeping him away from the hot oven/stove. *I intentionally do not wear Baby Hug while I’m working near the oven just to be sure that nothing hot spills or splashes on him.
5:45 Dinner is in the oven and cooking. We all head to the living room to play. Hug plays on a blanket or with his activity gym and Little plays nearby or reads books with me.
*I also spend this part of the day trying to keep Little out of the pantry – some days more successfully than others…
Dinner & Bed Time
6:45 Hubs gets home from work and we eat dinner. To be honest, this part of the day is sort of a race against the clock. Hug is starting to get sleepy and Little gets a burst of energy since Daddy is home and wants to tell him all about his day. Hubs and I work together to get plates ready and on the table. I usually eat dinner really quickly so that I can get Hug upstairs for bed.
7:15 Nurse baby Hug and get him down to bed. This whole process usually takes about 45 minutes if it’s bath night.
8:00 Hubs works with Little to clean up his toys and get upstairs for his bath and bed time.
8:20 Bath time, brush teeth, pajamas for Little
8:45 Reading and lights out for Little. His bed time process looks similar to his nap routine and can take anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on the day. Thankfully, Hubs does most of this part by himself. I head in for one story and our bedtime prayer, then I head downstairs to plan the next day, wash dishes, and/or work on the blog.
10:00 Hubs and I catch up from the day and try to spend some time together.
11:00 Lights out for all and to all a good night.
Final Thoughts
So there it is. Honestly, spelling it all out like this makes it seem so organized and full. It definitely hasn’t always been like this – those first few weeks were definitely a doozy as we all worked together to adjust to being a family of four. Having the Baby K’tan Active Carrier though, has helped me be able to continue to focus on Little and making sure that he still gets my attention during the day while also ensuring that Hug is able to go along on our adventures comfortably and safely and still get the rest and support that he needs during the day.
And finally, make sure that you review and are familiar with any and all safety precautions before using a baby carrier. Since Baby K’tan Baby Carriers are sized carriers, please make sure to consult the sizing guide as well to be sure you have the proper fit for your carrier.
Your Turn!
I’d love to hear from you. If you are a stay-at-home mom, tell me. What do you do all day? If you are not a stay-at-home mom, I would love to know some of your tips and tricks for balancing it all during your day. Being a mom is hard work, no matter where you spend your days. It’s also absolutely priceless and I think we can all agree, we wouldn’t trade it for the world.
You’re amazing. You just doing your job nicely. Your article making me so much sense about this. I will apply it on my practical life. Thanks for the sharing your experience over here.
Thank you so much!
Thank yo for this! I am due with #2 in October and hoping to be able to stay home and work from home as a bookkeeper. This schedule could be totaly doable for what I want to do. I can’t seem to find to many that show Work from home schedules with two little ones.
Absolutely!! The first few weeks are hit or miss, but once the baby got on a more predictable schedule around 6 weeks, we have really worked hard to get us all on the same schedule! Feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions on life with two! Wishing you all the best!
As we’re preparing for baby two this is super helpful. Thanks for taking us through your day. This definitely helped calm my nerves!
Oh good! It’s easier in some ways and harder in others – but really worth it. I am enjoying it so much!
I have been a stay-at-home mom for 7.5 years, which is so crazy to me!! My two oldest are in school now, but my youngest will be in preschool next school year, so it’s going to be a strange transition. I feel like the the whole saying ‘the days are long but the years are short’ was something I kind of rolled my eyes at back when my oldest was a baby, but I realize just how true it is now that my third is almost school-aged. I’m so grateful that I’ve had the chance to stay at home with my kids, because I know it’s not something everyone gets to do (or even wants to do). It’s exhausting, but I also have loved the flexibility of creating my own day.
My biggest tip for balancing everything as best I can is just sticking to a rough schedule. Meal planning on the same days, grocery shopping on the same day each week, cleaning 2-3 things a day, etc. Routine has helped me so much!
It is so true! The time goes by quickly! I too am so thankful to be able to stay home with my boys! Those are great tips too about having set aside days for all the other things that go into managing your home too! I’m sure that makes planning ahead WAY easier!
It can certainly be an adjustment! i used the ktan as well when my 2nd was a teeny babe!
I feel like there’s always a learning curve. Baby wearing has helped us get into a good routine over here!
Sounds like you adjusted well! Baby carriers saved us too. It’s funny how the second born just gets lugged around to dance practice, gymnastics, etc…so different from the first born! I went back to work after a year maternity leave and it was definitely a struggle adjusting to that. Every night after dinner I try to spend 30 minutes organizing for the next day – prepping breakfast and coffee, picking out outfits for the next day, packing school bags, etc. Also getting my oldest to start helping with her laundry, clearing the table, etc. We’ve finally got a routine down pat but honestly I don’t know if we’ve fully adjusted yet haha – life can be so crazy! Great post – thanks for sharing!
I have also started to be more intentional about trying to clean and get things organized for the day the night before. It makes a big difference!
Girl, I’m a stay-at-home mom and have been for almost three years and seeing it all mapped out like this — boom, boom, boom— is such an AMEN YES. My days with my kiddo are very similar, but I don’t have a second baby so you are a hero to me! I love being home with my boy and seeing how other moms do it is always a fun peek behind the curtain. Great post!
It is a fun peak behind the curtain to read these for me, too! We have to keep routines like this in place for all of our sanity, I think!
I have two kids in school and two at home with me. Something that really helps me is having a certain day to tackle and conquer one specific thing. So Monday and Thursday are laundry days, Tuesday and Friday are vacuuming or just simply getting the floors done…you know, things like that. It really helps me feel accomplished and that I actually got something done during the day.
Thanks for joining #WanderingWednesday! 🙂
This is a really good idea. I don’t have a set schedule like this, but I do sit down every Sunday and decide what things need to be accomplished in the week to come – then I put them all in my planner on different days so that they are spaced out in a realistic way I can get to all of them. I agree – it really does help you feel accomplished – even if nothing else goes as planned that day!
Baby wearing totally saves our sanity over here too!
It really has been so helpful!
I love that you say prayers before your husband leaves. That is awesome. When my oldest was born, I had to work outside of the home but I wanted to be a stay at home mommy. By the time my middle daughter came along I was able to be a stay at home mommy and that was the best thing I could have done in my life.
I am thankful every single day that I get to stay home with my boys. I wouldn’t trade it – and I know it is such a blessing!
Sounds like your plan is really helping adjust to life with two! I’m Fixin’ To
I’ve been trying to keep a similar schedule and routine for all of our sakes. It’s ultimately a modified version of life with one – just to keep things as similar as possible for the oldest!
You make it look easy. Good for you and welcome to Hugs! #bloggersbest
Thank you so much!
You go MAMA!!!!
You are an awesome momma! I honestly have no idea how stay-at-home moms do it but you do it flawlessly! Always rooting for you 🙂
-xo, Azanique | http://www.lotsofsass.com
Thank you so much, Azanique! You are so kind – always rooting for you, too, girl!
Love the color! I also love the pink color they have, too! Baby carriers are a must-have for new Moms and really are so important for multiples!
It is a fun color! I already had the black one, which is of course more neutral – so I was excited to have a blue one with our youngest! The pink one is a really pretty color, too! (But they’ve also got some fun printed carriers, as well – it’s hard to pick a favorite!
I love how whether you have one kid or five, you’d think you have so much time during the day to get things done, huh?? It’s amazing how much our days fill up!
I totally agree! They fill up so quickly! You are rocking it over there though!
I enjoyed it too especially when they were little
Mollyx
It sounds like you have a pretty great schedule! It was definitely an adjustment when I had two and a schedule was key. Now that they are a little older (4 and 2), we have a routine, but no set schedule.
I tend to like this schedule. Of course some days are better than others, but this tends to work well for us!
It’s amazing how busy it can get as a SAHM. I loved baby wearing!! I was able to gt so much more done!
Right?! And you really do have to time things just right with naps, snack times, meal times, etc. The carrier is a huge help; that’s for sure!
It’s an adjustment to have to revolve everything around the kid’s schedules, but it’s nice once they are actually on a schedule! It’s hard some days, but definitely worth staying home for!
-Jennifer
https://maunelegacy.com
I completely agree. That is something I am working hard on with our second, having learned better with our first – getting him on a regular, predictable schedule and it has truly been a game changer for me!
I love how at the beginning you mention that you think of your role as a SAHM as a job…that’s SO true, and I wish I started out my “career” like that! Also…YES for wearing the baby! I don’t know how i’d ever get things done when they were little if i didn’t have a good carrier!
It has really helped me shift my perspective. And being a SAHM is so much work, that when I think of it as a job, I internally value and appreciate the work that I do more and I’m motivated to show up and find ways to be creative to work smarter around here. The carrier definitely helps me with getting those things done, that’s for sure!
Oh gosh mama you have got it together! I’m impressed I have four. My day looks like this: feed kids, feed kids some more, try to make sure they don’t kill each other, grumble about how dirty the house is, feed kids 5 more times, hope they pass out before midnight. Haha. I love your ktan!!! I had one with my last and it was the best for the newborn time especially. <3 Jamie
You are not kidding about feeding the kids 5 more times! hahahaha. You are rocking it!
I am definitely someone who likes routines and predictability so I am having a hard time right now because I feel like I can’t plan anything. Baby girl is almost 6 weeks old though so I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to start getting in a better rhythm.
Hang in there! About 6 weeks was when we STARTED getting into a somewhat predictable routine over here!
Such a busy day! Babywearing my second son saved my life and made me a better mom to my older son since I could play more and take him places.
It really does make it so much easier with the second one! We have benefited so much by being able to still have my oldest doing many of the activities he did before his brother was born!
Stay At Home + Homeschool Mom here. We have 4 kiddos and it’s all about the schedule to make our day work well. Kids (and parents) love structure and it works so well when you have a good schedule.
It makes such a huge difference to have some sort of predictable schedule – even if it needs to be flexible sometimes. It helps EVERYONE have a better day!
Wow, what a full day! I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for four months and I only have one kid and thought my days were hectic. But I can totally relate to wondering where the day has gone and what you’ve done with it, but it’s all worth it in the end 😊
It is totally all worth it! I’m sure you’re doing a great job! I remember when I first started staying home, I asked our nanny to please write down Little’s schedule for me because I had no clue!
I really want to do a post like this! I always am intrigued at other people’s days! And only taking 30 minutes to get out the door is pretty good if you ask me!!! It sounds like you all are adjusting well!
Do it! I really do think we are adjusting well. We definitely do not have it all together, but we are getting a pretty good routine down!
Man…it sounds tricky juggling all the nap and eating schedules! You’ve got it down to an art!
It can definitely be tricky! We try to keep a similar routine each day though so everyone (mostly) stays on the same page!
I would never have even thought of needing a baby carrier with sun protection, but it makes so much sense! There are a lot of new moms at my church, and I see a lot of them go for the carrier option over keeping them in their carseat, and it seems to work out best for all parties involved — the baby can be kept close and the mom can still use her arms. 🙂
Yes! Baby wearing is so helpful! I didn’t do it nearly as much with my first, but it is almost essential with two! And I am really thankful for the sun protection from the Baby K’tan Active Carrier since the littlest is too small for sunscreen now!
I have no idea how most people function with one kiddo, much less two!! This routine looks totally doable! I love the 7AM wakeup because that give you room for your own alone time in the morning if you’d like!
It is an adjustment – but it’s also totally doable – as long as you have a good handle on expectations!
I love day in the life posts!! I agree that once you write it all out you realize how busy the day is!! Baby carriers when you have more than one child are a necessity!!
Same, it’s fun to see how other people plan their days and I can often find ideas and tips from others. I have definitely found baby wearing to be essential now that we have two, for sure!
you’re amazing!! the transition to two kids was so tough for us but you look like you’re doing amazing!!! wait to go, mama! also LOVE the baby ktan!
Thank you! The transition has definitely gone smoother than I expected, but we all have our days! I am really loving Baby K’tan this time around, too! I used the Original Carrier a little with our oldest and have been using that one and the Active Carrier regularly with our second son!
I have two little ones at home as well, and it’s quite the adjustment from just having one child! You really test your time management and patience. It’s literally a 24 job, but we are blessed to be able to stay home with them. 🙂
You are completely right! It is a real test in management and patience, but such a great blessing! I am thankful for it every day!