Moms of small children.. What is your daily routine?

Question

As many details as possible please, from the time you wake up, till the time you pass out lol.
I have a 3yo & since he was born, I can never seem to get it together as far as housework, paying bills, etc. Im constantly running in circles trying to keep up.
I have come to terms w/ the fact that my house will be messy for the next few years- that an immaculate house is not going to happen as my child needs me more then I need an immaculate house. STILL, I have piles of clutter growing everywhere, and the thought of "company" makes me nervous.
Im home during the day, and work evenings while hubby is home w/our child. The time Im home during the day & weekends is time spent w/ our son/family time.
I've tried staying up late into the night to clean house (when child's asleep), but am just too draggy to keep up the next day. I've tried sticking him in front of the TV while I clean, but thats not right. We want another baby, but I am anxious over not being able to keep up as it is.

Answer 1

OK, take a look at Flylady.net -- she's a housekeeping guru, and there are tons of ideas for cleaning -- you can have your son help clean while you are cleaning (he dusts with a cool feather duster while you vacuum) for example.

It was a lifesaver for me. My kids are both in elementary school now, and things are much easier, now.

But when I had two little ones, here are some things that helped:

Get up a half an hour earlier than the kids, then tackle the dishwasher, sweep the floor, start a pot of soup (we eat soup at every meal -- you could make potato salad or something for the evening) and do morning stretches with the guy on TV.

Wake children up, get them dressed and feed them. Brush teeth and wash faces. Have them watch TV or color or something while I clean up the breakfast dishes.

My schedule kind of went to pot after that. But, you could set up a cleaning time after breakfast where you give your son specific, easy chores. His goal is not to clean perfectly, but to be occupied and start to learn how to clean. Don't re-do his stuff -- just catch it the next day or whatever. Then have some fun.

Half an hour before lunch, your son can help you prepare sandwiches or set the table. Eat lunch, get dishes done right away.

While he is napping or doing quiet play, attack your bills or whatever bigger projects you have. Or read a book! Start something for dinner.

One big help is to have all the meals planned for the week. I spent so much time worrying about what was for supper, and then I'd never have the ingredients for what I wanted. Planning ahead takes care of that. Make about half your meals "pantry meals" (that way, if you eat out or get invited somewhere, the food doesn't spoil) and half with fresh items.

I can't say enough for Flylady, though. She really adjusted my viewpoint on housework. Another good resource is Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson. She tells you how to clean your house and how to set standards. She's a little picky, but it's a wonderful resource.

Answer 2

I have a 2 1/2 year old and a 16 month old and find it almost impossible to get anything done now that my daughter doesn't nap. Our schedule is wake up at 7 o'clock and have milk, I try to shower while they drink milk, often put TV on at that time, but only for 20 mins. Breakfast at 8 o'clock, then they usually play ok while I clean kitchen up. We try to be dressed and ready to go at 9 o'clock (doesn't always happen, but that's my goal!) Then we run errands, or go to the park, meet up with friends etc. Lunch is at 12 o'clock then the younger one goes for a nap from about 12:30 to 2:30. I can sometimes get something done during nap time, but only if my daughter is cooperative! I try to get her to do quiet stuff, look at books, color etc. during that time. Afternoons we go to the park, or play at home or whatever. Dinner is at 5:30 and my husband tries to be home for then, but he's rarely home for the nightmare hour before that when I'm trying to make dinner and both children are tired and cranky! Both of the children are in bed at 7 o'clock, so bath time starts at about 6:30. For me that 7 o'clock bedtime is really important, hubby and I have some time together, and when he's away I get some very much needed quiet time! I have to admit that I have a cleaner once a week and that really helps, my house will never be clutter-free, but it never was before I had children anyway. I go to bed at 10 o'clock, and days like today when hubby is away and both children have been sick, I almost pass out at that time!
I find the easiest time to get anything done is just after any meal, they both seem to be happier to play alone without needing me at those times. I also find that writing lists helps me get paperwork type things done, I try to check off a few things from the list every day. You also get a reminder of all the things that you have done, even if it seems as if nothing ever gets done!

Answer 3

I have a 13 month old son. I'm hoping he gets easier by 3! Christian wakes up anywhere from 7-9 since he goes to bed at different times. We have breakfast then we change and go to the park so I can walk and he can play for a while. Depending the time we have lunch, then play for an hour or so before his nap time. If he woke up early (7 is early for me) then I'll clean up a little or take a nap. If it's Tuesday, then I clean for a few hours while he naps. He gets up and plays while I cook dinner. I should add that I stay at home and my hubby works from 7am until 6 pm. If we need to go anywhere (groceries or whatever) then I do that before his nap and skip the park. My house is as close to perfect as I can get it since I'm a neat freak, but if I worked part time then it wouldn't be. Do what you can and accept that your son needs time with you verses cleaning. He's old enough to where he can also help.

Answer 4

I have a three year old and two year old twins. So my routine is very stricked. I wake up around 7 and take a shower and get the girls dress and make breakfast. I then off to school til 5. On Fridays tho Sunday I have them all day I do the morning part then I let them watch some tv I lay my girls down for a nap around 12 and thats where I clean the house or do homework. When they wake up I am starting dinner after dinner I give them baths let them play and bedtime at 8. This way I have time to myself or with my husband. I have my kids help me clean throughout the day keeps them busy and out my way lol.

Answer 5

Honestly..10 years from now your kids wont remember if your house is messy or not. They will remember how much time you spent with them. I am never going to win any housekeeper of the year award, but I do what I can. This is my day in a nutshell:

I have 7 kids and I am up at 7am getting them ready for school. After the older ones are off to school, I bathe and dress the 3 youngest(age 4,3,1) Some days I do laundry(wed & sun) other days I dust, vacuum, and sweep & mop the kitchen or deep clean the bathrooms. That keeps me busy till about 11 when I start lunch. Get the kids fed and put them down for a nap. I get online and play on Y!answers for awhile:) I finish(or try to finish) the chores left over from the morning. Or I pay bills, balance checkbook, make grocery list or check my appt book for the next few days. By then its time for the older ones to come home. I get them home, help with homework and start dinner by about 6. Kids eat and help clean up kitchen. The older ones get baths and they all go to bed by 9:30. I do more housework since its usually falling apart about this time. I wind down and get to bed usually between 11-2 am depending on if the insomnia kicks in. Then I wake up and do it all over again.

NOw...there are days...a lot of them in fact, that things dont run so smoothly. Throw in dr appts, shopping, sick kids or adults and if anything can break it will(2 plumbing problems in 2 weeks!!) Then I get behind in laundry or dishes and it takes me 2-3 days to catch up. Some days its hard for me to get anything accomplished.

So what if the laundry sits for a day while you go to the zoo...who cares? As long as your kid(s) are happy...thats all that matters!

Answer 6

You can't clean it all in one day. I did one chore a day and one load of laundry a day. Example: Monday - mop the floors, Tuesday - dust and wipe off counters, Wed - clean sinks and toilets, Thurs- clean tubs and showers, Friday - run the sweeper. Best to clean the shower while you are in the shower. Have your child help with the dusting, get a Swiffer, they love 'em. Laundry example: Mon- whites, Tues- jeans, Wed-darks, Thurs-towels, Friday-kids lights, Sat-kids darks. I have several laundry baskets and that way I can see when I have a load that is ready. Don't beat yourself up about using TV to get a chore done. Just save it for those times though. Use a half hour show to get your daily cleaning chore done. Then if you need to make a meal use another half hour show. That is an hour of TV total per day and as long as he is watching good shows like the ones on Noggin and Disney, you aren't doing anything wrong.

Answer 7

TV is a bad habit, but I admit that its the easiest thing to distract them to get things done. I see nothing wrong with 2 or 3 hours of TV a day. That is lots of time to do housework. If you make lists of what you want done, there will be a greater chance that those things will actually get accomplished. Dont rush it either. Just do some things everyday until they are all done, then try to keep up a routine. Being available to your child 24/7 can hurt him in the long run due to the fact that he will rely on you for everything, including keeping him entertained. A routine does help to, so here is ours.

8-9 am we wake up I give my 2 year old 4 oz of milk in a sippy and she watches TV while I take a shower and get dressed.

10 am give her oatmeal. She will not eat right away so I give her an hour or so before I feed her.

10-11 get her dressed, teeth brushed and hair done

12 usually go run errands, or go to the park- or I will use this time to clean. Also give her a snack around this time.

1-2pm she goes down for a nap. We clean up her room, read a story or two and she goes for about an hour.

by 3pm she gets another snack or a sandwich, depends how hungry she is- and TV time for me to clean or do bills. Sometimes she plays in her room. She likes her stereo on while she plays with her toys

by 5:30 I start getting dinner done and she watches me or plays or watches TV - another small snack

by 7pm we eat dinner, she eats with us, then we clean her up in the bath and get jammies on

by 8pm give her one last sippy of milk and quiet down in the living room as a family

by 9 pm go clean up her room, read a book and nighty night!


Hey I grew up with TV and I turned out okay!

Answer 8

Take a deep breath and relax.. running in cirlce is normal with a 3 year old..trust me I have one of my own plus care for another one and a 5 month old during the week. I find that the kids love to help me clean and do things.. have you tried that? Mine will take the clothes from me at the washer and put them in the dryer and many other small chores around the house inculding picking up all there toys and putting them away.. just make cleaning a game and you will be fine.

Answer 9

Here are my suggestions (I am a SAHM of two, my daughter will be three in two weeks, my son is seven months). If you can get your son to help with the cleaning, great. Other alternatives to TV are play dough, puzzles, coloring or painting, or LEGOs. These are all things my daughter will do for quite a while and I can get some other things done. Even if she plays by herself for 20-30 minutes, I can get quite a bit done while the baby is either in the playpen or sling on my hip. Company makes me nervous too, but I figure that anyone who comes to my house where my children live and expect perfection or want to judge me for my house aren't welcome there anyway.

Answer 10

If it makes you feel better ~you are normal! I have a 3 yr. old and a 4 yr. old and my husband is deployed (again). We start the morning out w/ breakfast and a little cartoon time. (while they are watching cartoons I do a quick pick-up). Then we go outside and play or they go in their toy room and play. My 4 yr. old loves to color! Also, we sit down and read lots of books...With Garage sale season here look for books ~ i have found tons for $0.25-.50...After lunch we watch a little tv and I use that time to tidy up again. Some days I nap w/ them, and then other days once they go down I use the time to pay bills, balance the check book, or get some dishes soaking or laundry started...If your hubby could start or do a load of laundry...give the bath, and maybe help the child tidy up their room it might help you out too! Good luck!