TIME MANAGEMENT! HELP!! :)

amother

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 7:10 pm

I have a 3 year old, 2 year old and a 9 month old Ka"H. My husband is learning in Kollel, leaves the house at 7:00 am (he takes care of the kids from about 6:10-7:00 thank G-d, (sometimes Smile

) and is away most of the day (besides supper/or lunch and then again at 11:30 at night) I work a 6 hour a day job from home (I do my own hours so usually 2 hours in the morning when kids are at gan and baby is sleeping and 4 hours at night. I'm trying to manage the laundry, grocery shopping, doctor appointments, cooking nutritious and healthy suppers and lunches, guests who are constantly popping in and my very very VERY difficult baby ka"H (he has condition that makes him extremely irritable, poor thing) I'm grateful that I have my afternoon to spend with the children so that they don't have to be with a babysitter, but that basically means more energy needed because I feel like I'm running a day camp so they should be entertained and happy. I need to get in a at least an hour nap a day so that I can be calm and patient with my kids in the afternoon, since my baby is up a lot of the night. Also exercise is HUGELY important to me as I take my health seriously. I also really would like tips of how to make sure that I do things for my DH as that's something that can get overshadowed at times by all the chores. I'm trying to figure out constantly how to set up my day so that I can juggle my responsibilities in the most efficient way. How do all you mothers do it? I need some serious time savers. I don't live around any family so no help there really....I'm considering getting cleaning help once every two weeks or so for the big jobs that I don't get to on a steady basis (like the freezer/cleaning the oven well etc) Some days I'm literally on the go from morning to night and then I'm still left with a lot undone on my to do list (I JUST washed my menorah after Chanukah now embarrassed

) What are some tried and true tips from all of you mothers? I'm sorry for such a lengthy post....

mirror

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 7:14 pm

1. Does your grocery store deliver?

2. Can you ask your dh to take off one hour from Kollel in the afternoon to help you?

3. Can you put your kids in the stroller and go for a walk in the afternoons (when it's not freezing cold)?

4. Did you ask the doctor why your baby is up all night?

5. Can you triple your recipes and freeze so you don't have to cook every night?

amother

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 7:43 pm

OPINIONATED wrote:

I'm in Israel, so no, grocery shopping entails going to Kol Zol or the like, having people cut you in line cuz, giveret rak yesh li chalav, efshar? and a generally exhausting and claustrophobic experience for an American Smile

2. If I feel I need DH in the afternoon I would def consider asking him to stay home. My afternoons are pretty much dedicated to the kids though and I'm okay with them then, it's just about getting everything done in the remaining hours...I'm very appreciative that he helps in the morning with making a bottle etc for the baby and spending time with the kids then...

3. walking is a cool idea, though what I do for exercise is much more running fast and toning/strengthening. I feel after my regular routine walking wont do too much, what do you think?

4. Yes. My doctor is my "best friend" - number 3 on my speed dial with this one Smile

He has reflux and probably about as bad as a condition as it gets. Eagerly awaiting it to pass.....in has gotten WAY better with the help of meds and going to a cranial sacral therapist, (meaning he doesn't wake up every 10 minutes for an hour anymore, back to sleep for 10 up for an hour etc) so I'm grateful for that but it's still a bit rough...

5. I like the idea of tripeling the recipes. I just need to get the hang of it. Do most foods freeze well? Also, how would I prevent having the same food each week by doing this?

Thanks for your time!

amother

Sun, Jan 11 2015, 7:50 pm

OPINIONATED wrote:

Can you set up two hours in the afternoons of no guests?

sigh, I wish. I don't know how it happened my house became central bus station for sem girls, neighbors kids, friends. I don't mind it so much because that way my kids have friends over ( prefer that to them going to someone else) and are entertained, and then I also have a social life. The sem girls like to come bake etc and then they take half the stuff back with them and leave me with goodies. but I admit, It can get overwhelming at times. I do keep the phone on silent however, which I learned to do and im LOVING it.