Jacket | top | jeans (on sale) also HERE | lipstick ‘Peach Blossom’ | Sandals | Harley’s moccs c/o Freshly Picked| Harley’s skinnies
Once upon a time I loved Mondays. They felt like fresh starts, new beginnings and promised excitement. Now it’s more like game day, “let’s go” time. Get out there mama and try not to get killed while you’re at it! But I am DETERMINED to keep the beginning of the week positive. I feel that if you can create a great start to your week, it just sets the tone for everything that follows.
PROBABLY ME ASKING HER NOT TO PUT THAT BOOGY IN HER MOUTH LOL
WAKE UP BEFORE YOUR KIDS: This one is probably the toughest for me. I love to sleep in. But if I don’t wake up before the girls then I’m forced awake by little hands grabbing my face and whispering “mama, I’m hungry” in my ear. And you know if I don’t react, she repeats, and repeats until she feels helpless and starts crying. Not a fun way to wake up. Immediately I’m irritated at her for the day. So wake up first. Allow yourself to settle into the day. Me and Daniel have started reading our scriptures together in the mornings now, and it’s been a game changer.
MAKE A SCHEDULE: This doesn’t have to be a Robo-mom schedule by any means. Just have some sort of routine on whatever level that works best for you and your people. Have a day you go on a fun outing, a day you play with a friend, a day to run errands with mom. And be sure to have an in-home routine too. For us, our meal times, and nap times have been huge.
7 am BREAKFAST
9 am (Harley’s nap)
10 am SNACK
12 pm LUNCH
1:30 pm naps/quiet time
3 pm SNACK
5 pm DINNER
HAVE A CHORES LIST: After Christmas we had some major Toy Overload Attitude issues. And I had the impression to put her to work more. So we have chore time after breakfast and before dinner. It’s amazing what turning off the TV, taking a break for toys and doing physical work can do. She is immediately in a better mood. She loves helping, and the house gets clean. You don’t have to be crossing any child labor law boundaries haha. I just have her clean the bottom windows, mirrors, put the silverware away, straighten shoes by the front door, help put laundry away and mop (her favorite),
DO SOMETHING FOR YOU EVERYDAY: This one is sooo important. If you don’t take an hour or two a day just for yourself you will go crazy! Now this one is easy to go overboard with. Don’t allow it to turn into hours of you time where you are putting your wants before your child’s needs. But find a balance. It is ok to turn off their show, put them in quiet time so that you can watch one thing that doesn’t get nursery rhymes stuck in your head. Or put on a show after chores so you can go read a book.
GET OUTSIDE: We are creatures designed to be in nature. Not under fluorescent lighting and artificial air 24/7. Even if it’s just 20 minutes. Make a smoothie and go sit outside while the little people play. Go for a short or long walk. Just don’t keep yourself (or them) cooped up. It makes us cranky.
TAKE A PHONE BREAK: Won’t go into too much detail. But multiple studies have proved that increase in social media activity increases the risk of suicide and decreases happiness. The full article HERE if you want to check it out (more than anything this is good info to have for your children’s sake if they have phones). I find that nothing gets accomplished by sitting on my couch scrolling through instagram and inadvertently comparing myself to other people, while the real little people in my life are walking around the room playing by themselves.