How to Survive Motherhood When You’re Stuck at Home
When you’re a stay-at-home mom, it can seem like every day is a struggle. You just need to survive from “good morning” to “good night.” And when you get stuck at home for an extended period of time, it can be even harder to survive at home.
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By definition stay-at-home moms spend much of our time (duh) at home. We thrive on routines. But there are times that push us to our limits, and even make us feel like we’re going to go crazy.
When we have child who is sick, have unexpected days off from school, or a vacation or activity gets cancelled we can find ourselves scrambling. Suddenly, we have extra time to fill and going somewhere may not be an option.
Recently, my boys had pinkeye. It’s such a funny virus, because they felt perfectly fine. But we couldn’t go anywhere. It left us with a lot of loose ends.
Whether you are staying home with your kids for the first time, or just struggling to survive the same-old, same-old, I’ve got some tips to help.
LOWER YOUR EXPECTATIONS
I can’t stress the importance of this enough. I am a perfectionist by nature. I set very high standards, and am disappointed in myself when I don’t reach them.
But when things are crazy and you’re struggling to keep up, it’s okay to lower your expectations for a while. I live by my to-do list. But when I’ve been home for a few days with sick kids, it can actually add more stress than it relieves.
When you feel like it’s all just too much, it’s okay to expect a little less from yourself. And it’s okay to expect a little less from your kids.
Don’t freak out about messes or toys or even too much screen time. Give yourself some grace if you cook mac and cheese and hot dogs for dinner.
When life gets back to normal–or you find a new normal–you can set new expectations.
Also Read: How to Stop Striving for Perfection in Motherhood
GO OUTSIDE
I am not an outdoor person. When I was a young girl, I spent a lot of time outside…reading. I read on the swing and sitting on tree branches. Now that I’m an adult I prefer to spend my reading time indoors.
But sometimes staying inside for a long time can push me to the edge of sanity! Just stepping outside for a few minutes can help relieve tension and help me feel normal again.
We recently went through a period of about two weeks where it rained nearly every day. Our yard was so full of water and mud we couldn’t even walk to our car without boots.
During those gray days, I lived for my daily walk to the mailbox. There’s just something about fresh air (even wet, fresh air) that gives you a mental reset.
Now that our yard is dry and the weather is nice, I try to at least walk around the yard every day. Sometimes our family takes a walk after dinner.
When you’re forced to spend a lot of time at home a change of scenery can make all the difference. Even just a few minutes can be refreshing and give you a new perspective.
GET CREATIVE
You’ve watched the last cartoon you can watch. You’ve danced around to all the songs. You’ve driven the Hot Wheels in circles as many times as you can stand.
It’s time to get creative and try something new. This applies for the kids, as well as you.
Tackle a project
Spending extra time at home gives you a great opportunity to do a large task you’ve been putting off. Clean out your closet, organize the pantry or sort the kids’ clothes. You can take your time knowing there’s not a big rush to finish.
Try a hobby
When was the last time you had an opportunity to work on a favorite hobby? Time at home is a great chance to pull out old craft supplies and enjoy yourself. Extra points if you can include your kids…but it’s also fine if you wait and do it after they go to bed.
Let the kids make a mess
I know that some toys get a bad rap for kids. But when mine hit the lows of boredom, I love giving them Playdoh or paint. These are special toys because they don’t get to play with them all the time. My boys can paint (with washable paint, of course!) for hours. And if you set it up right, there really isn’t a lot of cleanup. (Tip: spread towels under their paper, so even leaks don’t make it to the tabletop.)
Do something fun
Although I consider myself a homebody, I have discovered that I still depend on away-from-home activities a lot. But when you can’t visit the library or grab lunch at a fast food place, boredom can hit fast. That’s when it’s time to try something fun and new.
Let your kids sleep in the floor in sleeping bags. Eat ice cream for dinner. (You should probably only do this once!) Put up a tent in the living room. Do something out of the ordinary so that everyone can remember time at home as fun instead of boring.
Read a book
I love nothing more than to recommend books to read. You can check out my Book Reviews tab to see what I recommend. But here’s a quick list of some of my favorites:
Memory Making Mom by Jessica Smartt
Introverted Mom by Jamie C. Martin
Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford
The Cranky Mom Fix by Becky Kopitzke
Boy Mom by Monica Swanson
Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel
Love Unending by Becky Thompson
GIVE AND ACCEPT GRACE
Being a stay-at-home mom is the greatest joy of my life. But I won’t lie. Sometimes it’s hard. Even an introvert like me needs some social interaction.
When I’ve spent a few days at home because of bad weather, or nursed sick kids, I can start to feel like I’m losing it. Sometimes I behave in ways I’m not proud of.
When I’m feeling on edge, I lose my temper more. My house may not exactly reach my regular tidy standards. The kids may wear pajamas all day long.
And I’m learning that’s okay. It’s okay to give myself grace to be imperfect. And it’s okay to accept grace from my family.
I hope at the end of even the craziest days my boys know that I love them. I will fight for them, protect them and do everything I can to give them a good life.
Sometimes that means staying at home. But it doesn’t have to mean we don’t get to still have good times and enjoy life.
If today wasn’t perfect, it’s okay. Tomorrow is a new day, and you can start over. God’s mercies will be new tomorrow and you can give it another shot.
Whatever craziness you’re facing that has you staying home more than usual will end. The sun will shine. The pinkeye will heal.
And you’ll have come out stronger and better for it.
