School is soon to start in many areas, and in our house everyone is excited about school! If you are a Baby Buncher, which we assume you are since you're reading our fabulous site, we hope one of your "bunch" is going off to school soon.
Preschool can totally save you if you're at home with your kids. If you're like me, you may not have even considered preschool/childcare for your firstborn. But the minute I found out I was pregnant with baby #2, I realized I would have to find some time to clean, shower, do laundry and drink my coffee. To complicate things, we moved from location #1 about 6 weeks before baby #2 came, and we moved to location #2 about 6 weeks after baby #2 arrived. So I came to a strange new land with my bunch, including a newborn baby. Did I mention we didn't have furniture in our house for another 6 weeks? Oh, life is funny.
Back to preschool, get your kid in one. Get over the mommy guilt of sending big child off for a few hours of fun at school or the equivalent. Preschool means three important things:
1. Time for your toddler to play with friends his own age.
2. Time for you to spend with the newborn alone. This can translate to quality breastfeeding time without the numerous interruptions.
3. Time for you to get chores or errands done. This also means a mini break for you, which in turn means you're refreshed when your toddler comes back home.
I am sure I parent better on the days when I have a break from my kids. Here's the thing. When you're a Baby Buncher, there's no room for martyrdom. Accept help when it's offered. Take it when you can get it. You'll be better for it in the long run.
Preschools for little kids can be hard to find in some areas. In my Northern Virginia area, you have two choices: full-time daycare (which fill up like crazy) and part-time preschool (which normally doesn't start for kids until age 3). But Cara, who lives in Atlanta, was able to start both her kids at age 1 for one day a week. This is awesome! This gives you some time, even if it's just an hour to get a few things done without the chaos of two. Check out the Savvy Source's guide to preschools as a start. If that doesn't get you where you need to go, then start asking around. You will be amazed what preschool can do for not just your toddler, but for your whole family.
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