I know the obvious ones already:
- Have things for the kids to do.
- Try to get out of the house.
- No more than one cocktail before lunch.
Please fill up the comment section and help me out here.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Stay At Home Advice
Tomorrow starts my new adventure. I think I'm ready. Famous last words, yes, but so be it. I don't feel unprepared. But I could still use some advice. A significant number of the people who regularly read this blog are stay at home parents. And I want to know what non-obvious things help you do it.
I know the obvious ones already:
Please fill up the comment section and help me out here.
I know the obvious ones already:
Please fill up the comment section and help me out here.
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6 comments:
Do ECFE. I loved it and met a bunch of people that also stay home! Best thing ever!
Sometimes, I get in a rut of just wanting to stay home...so if you make plans with someone the day or a few days before, then you feel obligated...or at least I do. It helps me get out of the house, when sometimes, it just feels more work than it is worth.
I'm not a stay at home mom, but I'm the recipient of the emergency, "I WANT TO LOCK MY CHILDREN IN THE CLOSET!" phone calls. So, my advice? Have at least one of those emergency people on speed dial. I even went to the mall one time when Cowgirl called and said, "You'll find us by the screaming."
Off the top of my head:
1. Have a regular "Dad's Night Out," and engrave it in stone. For that evening, every week, no matter what, you leave the kids and the house behind in the hands of your very capable spouse. Make sure your spouse gets the same benefit on a different day. I use mine to have dinner & a movie by myself; it's a pleasure to *not* share my meal or cut someone else's, and to watch a movie with no potty interruptions.
2. Have a large container of accessible art supplies that your kiddo can use without your involvement. Mine has a three-drawer "art cart" filled with paper, markers, scissors, foam sticker shapes and other materials that I don't feel the need to supervise. She creates, I get things done.
3. The library is your friend, especially if they have a good kids' DVD section. My daughter loves to pick out a new movie as a reward, and can't wait to watch it when we get home. She watches, I get things done (or not).
4. With an infant, what saved me was the swing. She'd nap in the swing while I soaked in the bath with a book, or surfed the net.
Pete is a seven & seven man.
ECFE, trips to Como, library for the really hot days. Walks around the mall. If you want a cheap mall option so you don't have to splurge at MOA, Maplewood has a carousel that is a mere $1.
Thanks for all of the great advice everyone!
Well, my two cents have burgeoned into more than can reasonably included in the comment section. I hope you'll excuse my long-windedness.
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