JFF And Bc Im Curious! Stay at Home Moms, What's Your Schedule Like?

Updated on March 30, 2011
L.S. asks from Princeton, TX
20 answers

When you stay at home everyday with the kiddo's do you still get up first thing in the morning and brush your teeth, hair ect? Some days I will just stay in my pj pants and a tshirt for half the day. And some days I will keep my 2 kids ages 3 and 1 in their pj's til after lunch in case they get messy. This way I don't have to change them 3 or 4 times a day and it helps with laundry! Honestly, what do you do? Do you do your hair and make up as soon as you get up?

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So What Happened?

Whew just reading some of the post made me tired!! :) I normally get up, let the kids have breakfast and play while I clean and make beds. Get them dressed around 11ish and teeth brushed, lunch at noon, then play time for them while I clean the lunch mess. Try to fit in 3 year olds work book somewhere in there. At 3 they go down for naps and I once again clean and make sure I have everything I need ready for dinner, take a nice break! At the end of nap time which is right before my hubby comes home I throw some make up on and try to look presentable! haha Some days I do use my break time to flat iron my hair and put make up and jeans on but most days its sweat pants and a T. Thanks everyone!!

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J.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

Get up, make breakfast while husband is showering. Have breakfast with hubby, then take shower and give toddler a hose-down. Get dressed, go somewhere (playground, walk, storytime) come home, lunch, nap or quiet play while I tidy. Run to the store if I need to for dinner or start dinner, play with toys or art project. Dinner, bath, bed. Get up. Rinse, repeat.

I shower but rarely get done up. Just some causal and comfortable clothes for playing outdoors or at the indoor playground if it is too cold. I feel blue if I stay in PJs too long.

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M.F.

answers from Youngstown on

Get up at 7 to get my older boys off to school. We all eat breakfast together well me and the kids 8.5.1. my husband is already working. The big boys go to school and its me and my littlest man all day. I brush my teeth and throw on sweats. I only wear makeup on Wednesday when I volunteer in my 5yo kindergarden class..lol that is the only day I wear jeans also... I clean everyday. Light cleaning ,vacuming .dishes .straighteniing up the mess from the night before, and usually laundrey. I play with the baby before I do anything but vacum we have a dog so I vacum before he goes on the floor. Its very easy until my older two come home then it's craziness until bedtime.

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B.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

If you have a young child, I really don't see the point in getting ready for the day early in the morning haha! I have a 6 month old and whenever he gets up, I get up (usually 630, he nurses, then back to sleep until around 10). I usually brush my teeth when we get up for good around 10. Getting dressed and doing my hair?? I don't remember what that is! =) Honestly, though, doing my hair and makeup and all that is a luxury. I would rather be playing with the little one.

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K.W.

answers from Youngstown on

I usually get up around 8 am. My sister in law drops off her son by 8:05 so I usually have time to throw clothes on and thats it. I watch my nephew 3 days a week. My two kids (5&3) get up soon after. We do breakfast and just hang out for a while. I try to start school with my 5 year old by 9:30 we are in our first year of homeschooling for kindergarten. The boys (my son and nephew) play while we do school. School takes anywhere from 45 min to 1:15 minutes. Then it is playtime till lunch, while I do laundry, try to do my hair & make up only on days I know I am going out. I shower at night so I can do this while hubby is home. After lunch the boys nap and my daughter and I will do some stuff together or I will work on school stuff. I also clean up around the house and do the chores during this time. We are pretty relaxed for the most part.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I am the first one to wake up.
Often before 6:00am.
I start "my" day, sans everyone interrupting me.
I get ready, do my desk work, do my hygiene, make coffee, feed myself, make my kids breakfasts, wash the dishes, defrost anything for dinner that day, feed the pets, make my "to do" list for the day and my errands list.
I do this ALL before my Husband and kids wake up.

Then they wake up.
They eat, and laze around and get ready for their day.
I take them to school.
I pick them up.
My son only goes to Preschool 3-days a week half days. My daughter is in school regular elementary hours.

During my day, I do errands, housecleaning, correspondence, my appointments, make dinner (yes ahead of time before the kids come home from school), I take my son out for runaround time, we do crafts, I do laundry and chores, we have some play-dates when he is home, he helps me clean too, I practice workbooks with him.
My daughter comes home from school and she eats and does homework and I just let her deflate, my son naps in the afternoons everyday.
I then that is my time... for quiet. Before dinner time.

I also do things for my Hubby and Mom (who lives with us), since they are at work and cannot get away to do personal errands and appointments or personal phone calls.

And yes, on some days I just do NOTHING. And my kids are in the PJ's all day, and me too!

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E.B.

answers from Seattle on

We get up at 8 rush like crazy to get big brother to school. Tues and Thurs I have to get two kids for school. While my prek is doing his thing i take my youngest to the mall to play on the toy inside by target. then get dear brother from prek. Go home have lunch do naps if they hit them. leave 245 to get big brother each after noon. Tuesday i go to counseling, thurs fri, my youngest has therapy. I literally feel like i am in my car all week! i hate it.

I LOVE WEDNESDAYS....THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO DO IS TAKE BIG BRO TO SCHOOL AND PICK HIM UP......I WOULD NOT GIVE MY WEDNESDAY AWAY FOR ANYTHING RIGHT NOW!!

I also work from home so when i am home i am drawing, trying to keep up with getting work to the right people and on. I try and do most my ''work stuff'' after kiddos go to sleep. i illustrate, my hubby likes to watch me draw while he does tv or something next to me...its nice...

On no school days, we are in jammys all day. we only go out if we feel like it. and we are lazy....i love being home and lazy with my kids. we will all pile into the king size bed and watch cartoons....so mommy can doze in and out of the chatter...i wish my hubby could enjoy more of those mornings...I am excited about these days because next week my sons school moved spring break up a week!!! so those mornings are coming soon!!

I have only put make up on, when it is one of those days i wanna feel sexy. i take my kids to school in my pjs. I can go days...sometimes more before i get a true shower...sometimes just by lack of motivationi have other stuff i would rather do. I dont go out completely frumpy all the time...more like 65.8% of the time...i dont have anyone to show off for.

wow what a jump around novel...good question!!

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A.A.

answers from Nashville on

its me and my 2 1/2 year old and im currently pregnant with our 2nd child. But me and my daughter get up about 9am. Then have breakfast and she will watch some cartoons or play. The only time we get dressed if we are going some where or not. Thats also the only time i do my hair and make up. If we are staying home all day then we will be comfortable in our pjs. Then i clean house everyday because it does not stay clean with a husband and 2 1/2 year old.

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J.D.

answers from Dallas on

I don't get 'dressed' unless we leave the house. That means I get up, brush my teeth, throw on some workout clothes take care of the family and hang out. If we do get out of the house, I will take the time to comb my hair and put on minimal makeup. I always make sure my daughter looks adorable. She is my best accessory... No one is looking at me. :-P

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K.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

Well, now that my kids are all in school (and have been for a number of years), we all get up between 6:30 and 7:30 (school times are staggered, so the middle schooler has to get up earlier). The very first thing I do is brush my teeth, then go make the coffee. Get the kids breakfast, remind them how much time 'til their bus comes, run around yelling that they're gonna MISS THE BUS IF YOU DON'T HURRY UP, then breathe a sigh of relief when they make the bus with minutes to spare. Then I drink my coffee while I answer questions on Mamapedia, check Facebook and do other very important online tasks. When coffee is done, I workout for about an hour and take a nice shower and get ready for my day (this usually DOES include hair and makeup, I just feel better knowing I look decent). The rest of the day is errand running, kitchen cleaning, laundry washing, dinner preparing, just the general tasks associated with running a household. Kids get home between 3:45 and 4:15. Homework, snack, then extracurricular activities (Karate, swimming, guitar, piano, Japanese lessons, etc depending on the day). Squeeze in family time during dinner, then hang out 'til bedtime, which is between 8pm and 10pm depending on the child. Between 3:30 and 8pm it's really a go-go-go whirlwind, so I rest up BEFORE that during the day. I have to admit this schedule is super easy compared to when the kids were little. Also, my husband telecommutes most days, so we're able to tag-team the activities. I could NOT pull off this schedule if I was a single parent. Until they started school, and especially when I had 3 kids under 6 (with the 6yr old being a special needs child), I was lucky if I got in 2 showers per week. I was disgusting, house was a wreck, dinner was usually ordered in, I was constantly exhausted, the babies were SOOO NEEDY, all 3 kids were in diapers (the oldest one had serious gastrointestinal issues related to his autism and it was NOT fun nor pretty), it was REALLY HARD during those early years. Now, I'm just cruising along, life is generally easy right now, but I DID pay my dues.

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S.F.

answers from Dallas on

Great question, I'm curious too! I have 3 kids and I'm in Pjs until we have to leave the house. My oldest goes to school 2x a week, so those 2 mornings we are forced to get up and at 'em. I'm even guilty of getting dressed as our friends are pulling up our driveway for a play date. Make- up is optional about half the week. I am definitely no June Cleaver!

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K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I like to get up a little before my kids so I can enjoy my cup of coffee alone , I then jump in the shower and wake them around 7.15. I have 3 kids (2 of which are at school) , we all have breakfast together then we get dressed/brush teeth etc and leave the house around 8.30 , they are both in different schools as one is second grade and the other still preschool , once they are at school I then have 3 hrs with my youngest , and I usually try and do something for an hour at least with just her , maybe the playground or play area at the mall , sometimes we meet a friend for a playdate or even go for a late morning treat at Starbucks. I hate to be stuck indoors , so I have to go somewhere , even if it is for an hour , I then pop back home and put some laundry in or run the hoover over before getting my daughter from preschool at 12.

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D.H.

answers from Dallas on

Check out www.flylady.net. It's more for clutter control but she has routines you do and the first one is get dressed to your shoes. Her thinking is what if something happened and you needed to leave right then, no stopping to get dressed or shower or anything. Do you really want to, say, worse case, run to the hospital in your pj's? Something to think about... I stay in my pjs some days but I really try to get dressed, just in case.

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E.W.

answers from New York on

Unless I have to do something that requires me to look nice in the morning, we usually get up at 7, snuggle in bed/cartoons til 8ish. eat breakfast then either play or get ready to go wherever we may be going ie: gym, mall, park, store. But most of the time, I don't shower before i go- i put make up on, but usually put off showering till nap time. After we come home, we eat lunch then nap time. Then play and eat dinner. Some days I stay in comfy clothes all day, but I always shower- whether first thing or mid day. Sometimes it just takes to long in the morning and is easier to do later. You wouldn't know I didn't shower though. I have make up on and my hair is done- or pulled back.

A.G.

answers from Houston on

during the week(most days)

7-breakfast with oldest
8-bus and lounging
9 - 10, me time,,,,mamapedia and stuff
10-2 toddler play/kid tv/newspaper/make phone calls/pay bills/chores/various odds and ends time
2-guilty pleasure tv time (steve wilkos)(this is when i get makeup on)
3 to 4 workout time
4-5 homework with oldest/snack time for oldest, lunch for me/clean up
5 to 7- rollerblading and park time, maybe frisbee or badminton, maybe corner store errands
7-9 dinner baths and prime time tv
9:30- bed time for my gals, computer for me,
from 10 on i decide whether i want to sleep or watch a movie

i couldnt give a rundown of the weekend, its so sparatic

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A.C.

answers from Savannah on

I LOVE flylady.net. We used her morning, evening, and weekly routines as a model for me to make my own morning, evening, daily, and weekly routines that I live by. I get more done, and have more free time, than I've ever had in my life by using her methods and just organizing myself more. She's my hero. :) I also have them typed up in detail and in a binder so that if something ever happened, or my mom watches the kids for us while we leave, she can have a basic idea of what we do (she doesn't have to do it all, but it helps to know what is normal for us). I have it as a "home management manual" and included emergency numbers, addresses and numbers for our friends if we needed them, take out restaurants, etc. I was hospitalized after a surgery with several bloodclots, have had a couple babies, etc in 3 years, so this came in VERY handy when my mom had to come step in and help us.
Morning routine: up early, stretches, shower, dress (tshirt/jeans kind of girl), quiet/reading time, get husband's breakfast/lunch done and send him off, have breakfast with the boys, short devotional time with them (Bible reading and prayer), morning hygiene and dressing for them, check menu posted on fridge to see if there's anything I need to pull out to thaw, check dayplanner to see if there's anything I need to know about the day, they can watch PBS kids or Noggin, OR play together until time to leave for preschool while I chill and play on the computer.
I play on the computer during my youngest's 2 naps/day, or read, or cook, or whatever I want to do. I divide my weekly chores into the days of the week so everything gets done for the week (bathrooms, windexing, dusting, mopping, vacuuming, laundry done and put away, menus planned, shopping done, etc) a little bit every day instead of all in 1 day or running around like crazy hoping to get it all done. I've found for me that the more organized I am, the more I accomplish in so much less time; a lot less stress!
Mondays: preschool for oldest, kindermusic mommy and me class for youngest. Tuesdays: time at home but also try to have a little outing outdoors before naptime, home preschool activities, kung fu class, soccer practice. Wed: preschool, awanas at church in the evening. Thurs: make sure all my indoor chores are completed for the week, play (hopefully outdoors) with the boys, and family trip to the farmers market to explore and experiment with new stuff. Fri: preschool for oldest, storytime at the library for youngest, do weekly shopping, kung fu class. Sat: sleep late (until 7:30 or 8 if lucky), big family breakfast, soccer practice, car maintenance and yardwork, play as a family. (Day trip?) Sun: sleep until 7:30, church, "daddy day" where he takes the boys a couple hours for "man time" while I cook 2-3 meals in preparation for the week, do weekly planning, etc. Afternoon naptime (if parents don't nap, we play games), nice family dinner, after dinner walk, prepare for next week.
We also have an evening routine so that we let the kids wind down, bathe, storytime, pray, go to bed, we straighten up the house as a family so we can start fresh the next day.

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C.T.

answers from Dallas on

I put on my clothes and a little makeup at least almost everyday. I don't do it when I first get up. I wait until I've gotten my oldest off to school and had my coffee and checked my email. I got up while it was still dark outside for years when I taught school so now I'm enjoying my time home with my kids and not having to get up too early and get fully dressed. If we are staying home all day because of bad weather or a sick child, I let my youngest stay in his pj's all day. Why waste a clean outfit if we aren't going anywhere? I'm saving on the energy and water it would take to wash the clothes. Just doing my little bit to help the environment and myself!!:)

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K.N.

answers from Cleveland on

heck no, but with the new baby I'm lucky to shower before hubby gets home, lol. lets see
6am up with baby
clean house check email ect as baby lets me
baby dressed
8ish big kids up/dressed ect
cook breakfast
clean up
start them on school (homeschooled, ages 10 and 8)
multi task my rear end off, cleaning, baby care, school with big kids, try to shower if baby is good and kids don't need me, and i have hot water which varies depending on how many loads of wash/dishes I have going
11ish lunch cause Dh comes home for his break
more cleaning, baby care, hope kids are done with school by now (we school year round so we have short days)
12ish nap with baby, FX that he sleeps till 3
coffee
4ish Dh home, thank the lord I can sit for 5 minutes now!
5ish dinner/clean/sneak time with big kids/time with Dh ect.

Thankfully my big kids are old enough to do their own thing cause the baby still gets up every few hours at night to nurse, and since I don't leave the house often right now cause it's still cold, i guess the shower thing isn't important, but boy it would be nice. As for make-up and doing my hair, I can only imagine that some day I will find the time and ambition to do those things again, but right now I gotta take what free time i get and catch up on my sleep :)

A.C.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Get up at 7 am. Make breakfast for me and kids. I work from home and can make my own hours as long as I get in 7 hours per day/5 days a week. Work 7-10:30 AM with a small break to take the kids to school. 3 year old watches cartoons while I work for a few hours. Read to 3 year old, go pick up kindergartner, then it is time for lunch. Then cleanup: dishes, laundry, etc. I try to squeeze in a workout and a quick shower, then pickup 7 year old from school, help kids with homework, make dinner, do a few more chores, husband is home by 6 pm. We eat as a family and then it is time for me to work again from 6:30-10:30 or so, then off to bed.

I am so grateful to be able to stay at home while also being able to earn a living... but I NEVER get a break! (and sometime I opt to take a quick nap instead of showering).

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I work PT but on my off days, ever since y son was little, I HAVE to be up, dressed and ready before he wakes up. Completely ready for the day--whether I'll be home or at work. I have not stayed in pj's past 8 in about 8 years!
Sometimes, on the weekend my son will be in HIS pj's til after lunch--but that's rare.
I don't know why but if I'm not up, dressed, hair dealt with and at least minimal makeup on--the day just melts into itself!

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S.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I have no set schedule at all...it varies every day. The only consistent thing is getting my 3 oldest to school.

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