Have you ever wondered what stay-at-home moms do at home? I used to wonder the same thing until I became a stay-at-home mom myself. If you’re considering becoming a stay-at-home mom, and you’re worried that you won’t know what to do in your new role, fear not. In this post, I will break down what the role of a stay-at-home mom is, and some of the things we do all day.
What do stay-at-home moms do at home?
A stay-at-home mom’s job involves many tasks such as taking care of the kids, doing house chores, managing the finances, Caring for the car, and sometimes working from home.
The task might seem simple at first glance, but there is a lot that goes into each category. Below, I will break down in detail what the job responsibility of a stay-at-home mom looks like.
1. Stay-at-home moms take care of the kids
There’s a lot that goes into caring for children. You have to make sure they are fed on time with nutritious meals. Most times, the meals are prepared by the mother in order to save money since there’s only one income coming in.
Besides cooking and feeding your children, you need to teach your children morals, manners, and principles. These are important things that will help them grow into kind, mature adults in the future.
If your kids are toddlers and preschoolers, then you’ll have to teach them their ABCs, numbers, colors, reading, and writing. These skills are needed for them to succeed in preschool and beyond.
2. Stay-at-home moms help with schoolwork & Homework
If your kids are already in grade school, then you have to help them with their homework when they get home. You also need to tutor them or pay for a tutor if they’re struggling with a topic.
You need to also be able to speak to the teacher at least once a week to keep up with how your kids are doing in school. Studies have shown that students who do well in school, usually have parents who communicate often with their children’s teacher.
3. Stay-at-home moms plan playdates and other kids’ activities
When your kids are young, you need to plan lots of fun outdoor activities and playdates to help build their social skills. Kids need to learn how to interact with others, and make friends. You can provide opportunities for social interactions by going to the park, playground, and even playdates.
Some stay-at-home moms take their kids to Gymboree and other mommy-and-me classes. Others put them in classes like music, art, dance, and swimming.
Whatever activity you provide for your children, you’ll have to drive them there and back. This adds to the responsibilities of a stay-at-home mom.
4. Stay-at-home moms do housework
There is so much that goes into taking care of a home. Your day will include doing dishes, vacuuming & mopping, doing laundry, folding them, and putting them away. Some other housework includes cleaning the bathroom, the fridge, and the stovetop.
Housework also involves running errands like going grocery shopping, taking the kids to doctor’s appointments, and their afterschool programs. Sometimes you have to run to the bank, take the kids to get a haircut, or shop for new clothes when they’re outgrowing their old ones.
As a SAHM you just never know what type of chores will fill your day.
5. Stay-at-home moms take care of the finances
The usual arrangement in this type of household requires one person to focus solely on earning the money, while the other spouse takes care of everything else, including the finances.
Handling the finances involves creating a household budget that tracks your spending and earnings. The last thing you want is to go into debt because you spend more than you make.
It also involves paying all the bills on time. Bills include car payments, insurance, electric, gas, etc.
Some other tasks stay-at-home moms do are taking the car out for repairs when needed, filling the car up with gas, and making sure the insurance and inspection are up to date.
6. Stay-at-home moms work from home
There’s a misconception that all stay-at-home moms don’t work. The truth is that a lot of stay-at-home moms have a side hustle that brings in extra income for the family. For a list of some side jobs, you can do as a stay-at-home mom check out 12 Best Side Jobs For Stay-at-Home Moms
So if you think about it, they actually do two jobs which are taking care of the family and making money.
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How do stay-at-home moms not go crazy?
With the amount of stress stay-at-home moms are under to handle all their duties, it’s amazing that they manage to not lose their minds.
To not go crazy as a stay-at-home mom, you need to find a routine that works for you. You should have a routine for the kids, and household chores. It is also important to take care of your mental health by taking time for self-care each day.
Below I will explain what it takes to keep your sanity as a stay-at-home mom
1. Develop a routine for your kids
Children thrive on routines. When they know what to expect during the day, then things will go smoothly at home. When they’re very young, you want to have a set time for naps and bedtime. This will allow you to tackle the chores in peace without having the kids there to deal with too.
In my home, I do most of the housework when the kids are napping, and I work on my business at night when they’re sleeping.
2. Develop a routine for household chores
To see a detailed breakdown of my weekly kids and housework routine check out Easy Stay-at-Home Mom Schedules – From Cleaning To Childcare.
When you have kids, It’s impossible to do every chore each day that makes a household function. You need to know how to manage your time so that you can get as much work done at home.
My suggestion is to make a list of 3 things to do every day of the week. For example: On Mondays, I clean the shower. I also sweep the kitchen floor and cook a large dinner that’ll last the whole week. On Tuesday, I will clean the bathtub, and bathroom sink, and vacuum all the rugs.
Breaking your task into chunks will prevent you from being overwhelmed and burned out.
3. Keep your children busy
When kids are busy, they tend to get into less trouble. I suggest putting them in one or two after-school activities based on their interests.
If they’re not school-aged yet, then take them to the park every day. You can also sign them up for mommy and me classes. Stay outdoors for as long as you can until their next naptime.
The days when you can’t go out, do arts and crafts with them at home. I recommend the family crafting boxes made by Alltruists. This fantastic company makes craft kits designed to teach your children compassion and care for other human beings.
They work with charities to design each craft project. The finished product you create can actually be sent back to the charity involved so they can give it to the people and animals they help.
Some of my favorite kits include Show shelter pets love, Support an Unhoused Family, and Give solar light to a family without electricity.
4. Find time for some self-care
As moms, we spend all day caring for our families and we often neglect to care for ourselves. Sometimes I look at myself in the middle of the afternoon and realize I’ve been wearing my pajamas all day.
I was so busy caring for the kids since they woke up that I completely neglected even to change my clothes. There are days when I go half the day without eating or brushing my teeth because I’m so busy with other people’s needs.
I now make it a point to find a few hours each day to do something for myself. It can be as simple as brushing my teeth and eating breakfast before getting the kids out of bed. Sometimes, I wake up early to drink my coffee and read a newspaper before the kids wake up.
Self-care is very important for your mental health as a stay-at-home mom. It’s very easy to get depressed and lose your self-identity if you don’t prioritize it.
Some self-care ideas include doing a fun hobby each day. Check out 29 Fun Stay-at-Home Mom Hobby Ideas (money-making hobbies included) for some ideas. Going out for a walk is great to relieve stress. Watching TV, taking a bath, and getting your nails done are all possible ideas for self-care.
5. Spend time with other adults
Spending all day with young kids can take a toll on you if you don’t have adult friends to interact with. The best thing you can do is to find other stay-at-home moms in your neighborhood to make friends with.
That way, you can have playdates in each other’s homes. When the kids are playing, the adults can interact. Check out how to make mom friends to see my go-to tactic for making new mom friends.
6. Do things without your kids
To do things without your kids you can join a church group or any local volunteer organization. This will get you out of the house without the kids.
Don’t be afraid to spend time with your friends who don’t have kids yet. Sometimes I hear SAHMs say how they drifted apart from their friends with no kids because they just couldn’t relate to them anymore.
It can be helpful to have someone to take your mind off your children for a few hours. We are more than just mothers and we need to remember that.
So go ahead and schedule that solo spa date. Get your nails done, and go on a date with your spouse or your friends.
Conclusion
If you’re just starting out on this journey, remember not to be too hard on yourself. There are some days when I don’t clean my house because I’m just too tired. As long as your kids are fed, clothed, and loved, that’s all that matters.
I used to hold myself to an impossible standard to try to do it all. All that led to was me being overwhelmed and frustrated with myself. My stress manifested in me getting headaches every day. My chiropractor had to tell me to slow down.
According to him, my shoulders were so tense that it was pulling on the muscles of my neck. That was what was causing my headaches.
I stopped trying to carry the weight of it all on my shoulders. I prioritize loving and caring for my kids over chores or household duties. That doesn’t mean they don’t get done. It just means I don’t do it all in one day.
I hope that I’ve helped you understand some of the duties of a stay-at-home mom, and how not to go crazy as a SAHM.
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