Secret survival methods from a single, working mom #Momlife
In 2017, I officially became a single mom to my daughter Charlotte who is now two and half. It’s been an amazing experience being a mom but my goodness it can be tough! Parenting is a job meant for two people NOT one, full time working mother. However, it’s amazing how you can grow to meet the challenges that life throws your way. Here are my top survival skills that help me stay afloat while I try to balance my life.
Group mom text chats: I have a group text chat with my mom best friends. I chat them everything from if I caught a mouse in my house (ek), to what to do about who I’m dating now, to funny internet mom jokes, to how to handle those scary moments of spiked fevers that sneak up on our small children.
Naps: “Sleep when the baby sleeps” Yes, and I would extend this to toddlers too. My darling daughter loves to be up at the crack of dawn so to manage the whole day of being her mommy, I nap too. Some days I want to nap on my own and other days it’s a great way to spend some quality time.
Babysitters: I have a roster of trusted babysitters so that if I need some mom time, even for an hour, I can get out of the house. It took me awhile to get the courage to leave my daughter with someone who wasn’t family. However, after seeing my daughters happy face with many sitters, I’m ok with it. Pro tip: if your kid goes to daycare, ask those folks to babysit. They have added bonus of already knowing your kid.
Bedtime: We slept trained my daughter at 4 and half months old (brutal but worth it in the long wrong). I’ve kept a strict bedtime schedule since then. I typically have my daughter in bed and all set by 8 pm. This gives me time to myself to date, to read, to call a friend or watch a show. I also need a lot of sleep so it always gives me the option to be in bed by 9 pm if it’s been a really long day.
Alone time: I take days off by myself. I work from home by myself. I’ve learned I need quiet time to reflect and process. I became a single mom through divorcing my ex-husband who I had been with for 16 years. It’s easy for me to caught up doing many kid things and never take the time to process and heal. Sometimes this means a walk on the beach to cry or think. Other times it’s writing in a journal and or going to yoga.
Brownie mix: When all else fails, when the kid wakes up at 5 am on a Saturday and I’m feeling emotional from being overtired after a long week, brownie mix battery is my go to. Yes, I make the mix with no eggs, stand on counter and eat it. No brownies are made. It’s just for me.
My mom tribe: My friends have become family. We do pizza dinners at night. We walk after work. We do brunches on the weekends. When in jam, my friends come through for me. This is my number one survival tool. Without them to call, text, and spend time with I would be lost.
Those are my top survival skills. What are yours? Share!
