How do Mums coordinate looking after the children and doing the housework?

Question

I am a full-time mother to two boys under two. Finding it really difficult to do anything other than spend time with the boys and do the basics. Feeling badly that so much remains undone.

Answer 1

Don't feel badly. You have two very young sons who will grow up all too quickly. I think it's ok to do the basics and spend the rest of hte time being with your boys, because that is what they need right now.

When they are grown and gone, you will have ample time to do all the deep cleanings that got neglected for a while, so for now just enjoy your children.

Answer 2

When you find out how to do it, write a book so we can all know!
It is never easy, always a juggling act, but at the end of the day, if there are some clean clothes in the cupboard and a half decent meal on the table, what else matters?

I still have blinds that need cleaning from a year ago and marks on the walls that will probably still be there until my son starts school!
What did help though was my eldest went to daycare/kindy one day a week and when only the baby and I were at home together, I got heaps done when he slept or he just came around the house with me as I did the chores. Its amazing what you can get done when they sleep and when you only have one to take care of!

Answer 3

My children are older now (9 and 7), but I am still a full time mom (we homeschool!) and we are expecting our third. Some things that work for me are:

I get up very early to send my husband off to work. The children usually sleep for another hour or two after he leaves, and depending on what needs to be done that day I use that time to either go back to sleep, have some quiet time (read, shower, etc) or get a headstart on the day's housework.

I enlist the children's help. Even at a year old, they CAN help-picking up their toys, for instance. So your boys are not too little to offer a little assistance. When my children were smaller, we had "toy jail". When the children were tucked in each night, any of their stuff that was not put away went into a Rubbermaid container in the closet.

Speaking of the Rubbermaid container in the closet, I separated a large portion of their toys into two different groups. One group stays put away, and I switch them out every six months or so. This way, they have less toys to make a mess with, and their stuff does not get "old" because it seems new again when it gets brought out. Of course, favorites and staples such as Legos get to stay out all of the time, as long as they are put away.

There are certain tasks I do every day-dishes, laundry, sweeping, vaccuming, a general pick up and wipe down each evening before I retire for the night. Of course, anything that NEEDS to be done-such as cleaning up a spill-gets done as well. But other than those daily tasks, I only have one room or so a day (depending on the size) that I focus on deep cleaning-windows, mopping, dusting, etc in THAT room.

I do my cleaning to music. It gets it done quicker, as I feel more energetic.

Plan your time-mop when the children are napping, for instance. Occupy them with a toy and let them play in the room you are working on (or else they might be somewhere else making another mess for you!).

Always choose what is most important. Your children win out, so long as the house is not filthy. A little clutter here or a load of laundry that has been washed, dried and folded but not put away there is not as important as reading to your children, etc.

I used to be obsessive compulsive about everything being perfect. Then my daughter came along, almost ten years ago. I have YET to find a way to keep things perfect, and I gave up trying...what kind of Mother would I be if the house was perfect, but I had no time or energy to spend with her (and now my second, and soon to be a third)?

RELAX! Find a method that works for you, and stick with it. If a day does not go as planned, do not stress over it! Try again the next day.

Answer 4

i hav a 1 yrold and an almost 3 yr old i clean when they r in bed at night, an it stays that way till 7 the next morning if i really hav to get somthing done though durin the day, like washin or dishes i put there fav dvd on giv then som snacks and they sit there and watch it till the end most times, or i let them help, when my youngest was a baby i used to let my older help hang the washing out or do the dishes as she loved playin in water an it gav us our special time together

Answer 5

I think that it's impossible to juggle housework and taking care of children. The only time I get things done is when my daughter is napping or sitting in her high chair!

Answer 6

Get dad to do his fair share. You have your hands full. Don't feel bad, you won't be able to maintain your previous routine. Your boys will take a lot of looking after. Good luck. (If appropriate, if hubby won't help, try to get him to sacrifice some of his beer money for some cleaning service'good luck with that too)

Answer 7

I always do housework after my daughter goes to bed.
if they are still napping during the day you can get a few things done then.
can they walk/? get them a cloth and some water or toy vacuum and have them clean with you, they will think it's a great game.