HAPPY NEW YEAR...#MOMLIFE
7 things all first time Moms should know. #MOMLIFE
Take care of yourself. Today, tomorrow, and in the future. It’s an on-going process to “mother” and nurture yourself. Find a job, a position that understands what #familylife means and actually embraces the WHOLE YOU, the one that has you, your kids, your dog and everyone included. Meditate, journal, find joy projects, breathe, take 15 minutes for you daily.
Take help. If you have the opportunity to surround yourself with parents, inlaws, babysitters, mother’s helpers, start to acquaint yourself with that early. It takes a village to raise one child, you’ll never feel bad about having more support, but you may feel bad at some point for having the lack of. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Your commute means something and so does working from home. Pre-covid, working remotely worked for some companies and for others it did not. If you can find yourself in a position to work remotely, hybrid or very close to home, your life will unfold differently with young kids.
Childcare. In home nannies and au pairs take the “schlepping” kids to and from daycare out of the equation. Not everyone can afford it, but it will make things easier. Daycare is more affordable but there is lots of coordination between you and your partner's schedule. Single moms, I salute you. Life with kids means lots of adjustments and flexibility. Remember, these stages are temporary but can feel like a huge responsibility daily on your shoulders, I see you.
Finances and careers. If you are part of a two income family, one of your jobs or roles will likely morph into the “more flexible one”, it SUX to say it out-loud. Sometimes careers and jobs have to take a back seat, having these conversations early will help you sort through your schedules. Schedules that line up with a school day or have something like an 8-4 or 9-3 set you up better for yourself and your kids. Think about the emotional bank account you’re building with your kids. That is priceless.
Meal planning, activities, and your schedule all factor into your success as a parent. You have to PRIORITIZE and choose which things fill your cup and what drains you. The weekend is two days. Each of us have a vessel of energy in our day. Take stock of what areas of your life you want to expend energy and what areas you want to conserve.
BE PRESENT WITH YOUR KIDS. There are so many distractions in this life. What we do, how we spend our time, and what jobs we have all affect how much “time” we have with our kids. You may not see it, but they are watching every move and know if things are “off”. Once the pandemic hit, I was furloughed and I had more time with my kids, I all of a sudden saw a HUGE shift for the better in them. They too, didn’t like being on the hamster wheel. It’s like the whole world breathed a sigh of relief. Families began to autonomously wake, move and run their lives in a way that made sense for their family unit. And guess what, I see a lot less melt downs. We move gradually, putting one sock on, then the other, and drinking a cup or coffee at a pace that feels right. Less meltdowns, mommy is happy and the kids are too.
