It's only natural that following a couple weeks of talking about how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids, that I should be honest about the other side of motherhood: the nitty gritty side...being a homemaker! I would consider a housewife and a homemaker to be different. Today I'm talking about the physical chores and efforts that go into "making a home". Here are the three things I have to share:
1. Planning is SO the key to being a homemaker, in my book. I have so many charts and schedules around our home. I have a laundry schedule taped to my washer, a meal schedule taped to my fridge, and a cleaning schedule taped to the inside of my pantry. It's all laminated so that I can cross things off as they happen, and since I'm results driven, I write down everything from "sweep the east side of the house" to "turn off the lights" which, duh, I would do anyway, but to check it off keeps me motivated. On the flip side, as I see that things AREN'T being done, I am more likely to quit completely. Time management is so important. If I wake up at the same time as my kids, nothing's going to happen, considering that I am a ZERO energy person at the end of the day. Schedules are a friend of mine.
2. Admit when you need help! I want to shout it from the rooftops. We do not have to be robotic people pleasing superwomen. We will all crash and burn if we keep encouraging one another to do it all with a smile. There are so many areas to seek help. For our family, we have chosen to outsource housekeeping once a week (I like to do the daily cleaning, I just need help with the time to deep clean), the lawn, and we also have sweet mothers helpers 3 nights a week. Using local businesses and family friends helps keep the cost low and manageable. Only do what is right for your family. If the cost is too high (for example, the cost of a pool service seemed silly considering that I could clean it easily) then the pressure truly isn't off of you. However, hiring help isn't the only option that's out there. Plan playdates, swap with a friend, or simply take things off of your plate. It took years for me to admit to my husband that I couldn't handle the laundry on my own. Had I admitted it ages ago, I would've saved myself a lot of pressure!
3. Time to refresh is what helps me enjoy my "role" as a homemaker rather than feeling trapped by it. Whether its ten minutes to throw together a new scrapbook page, or a couple hours alone at Target (!!!), taking that breather makes diving in a little easier. I am a huge advocate for time alone to read and pray, but don't take the time at least a couple of days a week. On those days I pull up whatever Proverb corresponds to the day of the month, and keep it in mind throughout the day. And if nothing else, I always have soft music playing to keep tension at ease.
*Being a homemaker is what I've always wanted, but it just. isn't. easy. In fact for me, it has exposed some of the ugliest parts of my heart as I struggle to let go of control and ideals. As silly as it sounds, I believe that homemaking is how I've really gotten to know Jesus. I just couldn't do it without him, and I had to learn quickly how he sees me in my "ugly" moments, because homemaking sure gave me the opportunity to see plenty of those. If any of this strikes a chord with you, and you just don't know where to start, send me an email using the contact box to the right.
One more thing...God help us all ;)
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