Whether you are a new mom or on your third, fourth or tenth child, the chances are that you will take over complete responsibility for the household. And while it’s great for a while, there will be a time when the walls start to feel like they are closing in.
It’s not much of a surprise. After all, when you are only conversing with a little person that hasn’t learned to speak yet – or a toddler who only says ‘why?’ over and over again – things can get to you pretty quickly.
Ultimately, being a stay-at-home mom is nothing like what you expected, and there will be many struggles ahead. I’ve put together this brief guide to things you can do to help keep your mind active, and feel like you are still the woman you once were! Let’s take a closer look.
Delegate what you need!
Snowed under with dishes, toys, and dirty laundry? Get as much done as you can and ask for help with the rest. If you have kids that are old enough to assist, make sure you get them involved – it’s good for them to learn responsibility anyway, so you are actually doing them a favor.
And unless your partner works from the crack of dawn to midnight, there’s no reason why they can’t lend a hand too. Talk to them about how you are feeling and they should be willing to help out when they can. And finally, never feel ashamed about accepting offers of help Far too many moms think they have to go at it alone. Being a stay-at-home mom isn’t easy, take up the help if you can get it!
Work and study
Staying at home all the time can really make you lose yourself and feel isolated. However, keeping your toe in both work and learning can really help you out of your mental fuzz. You might start a blog – like this one, for example. Or perhaps start easing yourself back to work part-time – it will give you a welcome break as well as being good for your little one who will benefit socially from something like child care.
And there is nothing stopping you from taking night classes or even pushing yourself academically. Something like the Christian College online degree gives you a chance to do everything online, in your own time. And because you aren’t paying for face-to-face tuition, this kind of learning experience works out cheaper than going to college.
Talk about it
Far too many moms have a stiff upper lip when it comes to dealing with their problems. They see other moms seemingly able to do a zillion things at once, with with 5-6 kids in tow, and still look amazing. But guess what? These moms are rarer than hen’s teeth – if they exist at all.The reality is that all moms are pretty similar, and most of us are facing the same challenges. Sometimes it only takes one conversation to start letting it all out. You will feel better in the long run.
