Mom Smarter, Not Harder

“That was a piece of cake,” said no mom ever. Momming is tough. Some days I find myself crying in the closet, eating goldfish for dinner, and whispering WTF to myself hourly. I’ve come across some great “mom hacks” that have kept my insanity at bay. I’m hoping they can help you too, Mama.

  1. Keep a blanket/extra jackets in the car.
  2. Set a timer for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!
  3. Donate toys regularly- make them disappear if they haven’t been touched in three months.
  4. Use a grocery pick-up service.
  5. Layer two fitted sheets and two waterproof mattress pads on your child’s bed. Pee in the bed? Throw up in the bed? Spill snacks/juice in the bed that you told them not to have in their room in the first place? No worries- pull off the top two layers and move on about your business!
  6. Always have a change of clothes per child (mostly for kids under five).
  7. Meal prep.
  8. Teach your child to do for themselves, and don’t panic when they don’t do it your way. Practice makes perfect, remember?
  9. Plan outfits for the week on Sunday and put them within arm’s reach for your child to grab.
  10. Wake up before your children. Use this time to get things done or to simply leisurely read while drinking your coffee.
  11. Put a selection of healthy snacks in a place your child can reach.
  12. Keep the diaper bag packed and ready at all times.
  13. Keep a portable potty in the car. No restroom at the soccer field? No problem.
  14. Prepare lunches/backpacks/items needed for school the night before.
  15. Stick to a schedule.
  16. Create chore checklists.
  17. Keep a trashcan/container in the car.
  18. Attach cupcake holders to the bottom of popsicle sticks to catch the dreadful drip.
  19. Wash and sanitize toys in the dishwasher.
  20. Embrace the chaos!