Hey mamas!
I thought it was time to bring back Mommy Monday here on the blog--my weekly post each full of tips, updates, tools, and resources I am using to continue the journey of becoming my best self as a homeschooling, work from home mom--everything from books I'm reading, fashion, recipes, workouts, and more.
Let's go ahead and kick things off to get some mommy motivation for the week!
Parenting:
Homeschooling a 6 and 8 year old while nursing a toddler has kept this mama busy. Some tips that have helped me manage it all is having a routine. Each morning, the kids know what to expect and this helps immensely. I created and printed out a daily checklist, laminated it, and hung them up in our homeschool room so that before anyone can ask to use a screen, they must show mom their homework, chores, and daily hygiene has been met. I highly recommend having a system like this for accountability, order, and structure.
Wellness:
Lately, I've been loving to juice. It's my way of naturally detoxing my body on a daily basis. I put in 2 green apples, 2 large handfuls of kale, 1 cucumber, 1 stalk of celery, about an inch of ginger, and a lemon (organic). I use my blender, and add in 1.5 cups of water. I strain the smoothie with this (if anyone knows of a great juicer, let us know). The kids have about 4 ounces of it, and I have a large cup--about 18 ounces or so. As far as workouts, they have literally been under 10 minutes a day. When I'm in a busy season, I offer myself some grace and I don't set unrealistic standards. I created my own custom workouts for busy moms like me that uses weights and HIIT style training--this recipe has been everything! Using my MWH method has allowed me to lose the baby weight with consistent, short workouts in the comfort of my own home. If you're nervous about incorporating dumbbells into your fitness routine, don't be! Muscle burns fat, and having some muscle is what helps my metabolism stay fast. I eat well about 75% of the time, allowing the other 25% to be whatever I want. Want some ideas of quick workouts? Make sure you're subscribed here (more on the way), and my Instagram.
Spirituality:
I aim to start my day first with God--before I start homeschooling, making breakfast, or answering emails. It's vital I fill my cup first. What this looks like for me is prayer, reading my bible, listening for guidance with a cup of coffee (I love mine with oat milk and agave--yum!), a quick MWH workout, and a few pages of a good book. Right now, I'm reading several books, but the main one is Hold Onto Your Kids --it's been an amazing book that reminds me the importance of being my kids number 1 influence. I highly recommend it! Lastly, I have gotten back into incorporating a daily gratitude practice--each night before bed, the kids and I go over what we are most grateful for. We always say at least 3 things. I think this does wonders for your state--to consciously choose to focus on the good in life. As an achiever, it's easy to always be reaching for the next thing. Having a gratitude practice helps shield me from the ego's way of always seeking more. We have lots to be grateful for, mamas. It is my hope we can remind ourselves this often. PS I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to do this!
Marriage
Ahhh....marriage. Moms, I don't know about you, but after a long day of mothering, cooking, cleaning, mediating sibling disagreements, emails, work and more, I look at my husband and just want a foot rub! But when we let romance and fun fall by the wayside in our marriage, petty arguments almost always ensue. To avoid this trap, Elvis and I prioritize dating each other. At least once a week, we dress up and schedule time for just us. That usually is at home for now until (I'm hoping) we can find a consistent sitter for date night. Just like buying new workout clothes inspires me to exercise, getting some new lingerie has been a fun motivator for us in terms of having fun together. Also, a book that I have been reading to inspire me in this department is A Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Romance: Nurturing Your Marriage Through the Homeschool Years.
It's been a great read, and I recommend whether you're homeschooling or not if you're a busy mom who wants to have an awesome marriage.
Work/Life Balance
The majority of the time I can squeeze in time for work, it is before the kids are up, and during our Quite Time (everyday between 2:30 and 4) when our youngest naps. If I have a lot of projects going on, I also will squeeze in time to work before bed, after the kids' bedtime. If you're having a hard time balancing work and family, try doing a time audit: look at your daily schedule and write down what you do as you do it. You may find your scrolling time has gotten out of control (or if you're like me, YouTube has been sucking a lot of time), or that you may need stronger boundaries. Learning how to say 'no', has been invaluable as a homeschooling mother. We simply cannot be everything to everyone. Ask God to help you order your priorities. Every time I do, He does!
Well, there is our Mommy Monday for this week. What tip are your planning to incorporate or already doing? Let me know here or on social.
Love,
Monica
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.