getting it all done

This was a recent topic of conversation in my mom's group. One friend asked how moms of two or more kids get anything done during the day. There was a barrage of responses from moms stating plainly that they just didn't get it all done. Which is so true! Certain chores fall off the daily chore radar: mopping, ironing, cleaning, doing dishes all day.

I admit that my standards for what I do in a day, in way of chores, has changed quite a bit since I became a Baby Buncher. Each day my to-do list has no more than 4 'must dos' and it's RARE I get them all done, but often I do. I feel if I limit myself to the bare minimum and if I get them done, I've scored an awesome day.

But back to my friend's question at hand. Getting it all done with two little kids is difficult. Even when they get older, and you don't have naptime to work around, new issues arise with running errands, paying bills, returning calls, doctor's appointments, etc.

I think back in the day when it was normal to have kids back-to-back and 10 of them there must have been some method to managing with all those kids. Oh yeah . . . kids WERE the labor. My mother in law just informed me that at age 4 or 5 kids were inducted into "the household" as workers. Just think my 5-year old could be doing the floors for me! Awesome. I'm guessing that's WHY they had all those kids. You just have built in worker bees for life. Plus, never underestimate the fact that back then, extended family was probably never too far away--grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunt, cousins, etc. They were also built in babysitters when you needed them.

So here we all are in today's age with no family nearby, kids who, instead of helping at home are being driven all over town for sports, music, swim, etc., it's no wonder we can't get stuff done!

When it comes to getting it all done, I have two points (besides turning your kids into slave labor....just kidding...ok, not really).

1) Kids are only little for a short while. Enjoy them. Embrace your messy house and low expectations for getting it "all" done during the day or week. You'll have time when your kids are 10 and 11 and would rather not be seen with you in public to get it all done. Give your kids a few chores to bring them into the household if it makes you feel better, but really there's no way you can get it all done unless your mother lives with you!

2) Hire a babysitter. Seriously. I can't tell you how many people martyr it out and stay up until midnight each night getting things done. Since my second child was born, I have hired a sitter one morning a week and worked my ass off getting as much done as I can on the things that require my children to be with someone else. Even it it means paying a mother's helper for $5 an hour. If you can't afford that, swap babysitting favors with a friend. Then at least you have every OTHER week to get things done.

Please share your own tips for how you get it "all" done during the day.

Comments

[feener]

those are the two best pieces of advice EVA !!! thank you.....

[Jerseygirl89]

You've gotta coordinate the naps. My older two are fifteen months apart and it's the only way I survived. And once the second one hit toddlerhood? I embraced Dora the Explorer.

[Najma]

With just one kid i rarely get any down time.I really appreciate the hardwork that moms with two or three babies do.Although i love this stage of my kid it tires you out completely sometimes.