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Are you new to being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM)? Welcome! Have you been a SAHM for years and you’re still trying to determine the perfect stay-at-home-mom schedule? I get it! That’s why I’m sharing a perfect baseline schedule for a mom with 2 kids at home. With this stay-at-home-mom schedule, you too can get 4 hours of work done and a workout without neglecting your kids!
Stay-at-Home-Mom Schedule Template
Are you ready? Ok, here it is. This schedule allows for approximately 4 hours of work per day. Of course, we know better than anyone that it doesn’t always look like this, and that’s ok. Sometimes your perfect stay-at-home-mom schedule gets thrown out because someone is sick or has 3 t-ball games this week. Sometimes daddy has to work late, and of course, many moms don’t have a partner to rely on. The important thing is that you remain flexible and adjust the schedule to what works for your family. Be sure that everyone (including you), is getting what they need.
- 6:00 – 8:00 am: Breakfast/cartoons/snuggle/work/get ready with Daddy
- 8:00 – 8:30 am: Dishes/tidy/independent play
- 8:30 – 9:00 am: Get ready
- 9:00 – 10:00 am: Mommy school (play together)
- 10:00 – 11:30 am: Nap/quiet time/screens/work
- 11:30 – 12:00 pm: Lunch
- 12:00 – 3:00 pm: Out of the house activity
- 3:00 – 4:00 pm: Work out with the kids*
- 4:00 – 5:00 pm: Independent play/work
- 5:00 – 6:15 pm: Eat dinner/clean/eat
- 6:15 – 7:30 pm: Daddy playtime/work/kid bedtime
- 7:30 – 10:00 pm: Freedom! Netflix/hot tub/hang with hubby/work
One way to tell if your kids are having a good day is if they seem full of life at the end of the day. Are they happy? Check in with yourself. Are you doing more than just surviving?
Partners Pitching In
If you have a partner, see if there are ways they can pitch in and spend more time with the kids. Having baby in the bathroom playing with bath toys while dad showers is absolutely an option. As moms, that’s how we get ready every day! Partners can also be great for burning off extra energy and getting in some bonus outdoor time. Sending the kids out after dinner to play driveway hockey with dad is one of our personal favorites. Guess what? It’s super fulfilling for dad too.
The Outdoor Stay-at-Home-Mom Schedule
This schedule can easily be adjusted to incorporate as much outdoor time as possible. We strive to get outdoor time in every day when the rain lets up here in Washington. Play time with your kids and meals are great for doing outside. They can even have their independent playtime outside if they can truly be independent (and you can safely supervise from a window or deck). Try setting boundaries and explain that it’s mommy’s work time and they can do their own work outside. Assure them you will play together again later. It’s good for everyone to have time alone. It’s actually an important skill for our kids to learn to entertain themselves and to be able to explore independently.
Exercise!
Wait? Did she say an hour workout with the kids?! Sure did. It is possible and here’s how:
- Option 1: Invite them to exercise with you. Set up exercise equipment (elliptical, walking pad, etc.) somewhere you can use it and have room for the kids to play. Build them an obstacle course for their “exercise”. Think cushions, stepping stones, any movement toy. Turn on the “Freeze Dance” music station and watch the magic happen. Just knowing that you aren’t accessible will encourage them to play on their own. If they get bored, help them get creative. Tell them the floor is lava or they need to rescue a stuffed animal. Make a choose your own adventure obstacle course so they can take different paths and go back and forth.
- Option 2: Outdoor exercise. Pop the kids in the stroller, run around a track, ride bikes, join a Fit4Mom near you! (They offer online options too). The options are endless.
- Option 3: Join a gym with childcare.
It’s true, working out with kids is never going to be perfect, but it can be amazing and exactly what you need. Not only are you getting good exercise, you’re instilling healthy habits in your kids by making exercise fun.
The criteria for a successful stay-at-home-mom schedule is one that gives everyone what they need, and that includes you. Sometimes that means just surviving the day. The goal is to get to a point where the entire family is thriving. It’s ok to incorporate more alone time for days when you need it. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle of our busy days and can be helpful to reference a baseline plan.
