What do I need to know?

[teachma]

<Deep breath>
After nearly ten years as a wohm, I begin my new career as a sahm on Friday. My children are 9 1/2 years old, 6 years old and 14 months. I am excited and terrified. Please share suggestions ad advice as I begin this new adventure. I can use all the help I can get; I am leaving my much-loved career as a teacher to support my family at home.

[chely7425]

I think the biggest piece of advice I would have is that you need to try and find fun things to do with the kids. The ones that aren't in school, take them to museums or parks and things like that. Having other moms that also stay home as friends seems to make a big difference to me

[Ornery]

Congratulations on a new journey!

The biggest thing for me was making friends with other SAHM who had children the same age. I really put myself out there at parks and kid friendly activites. I also joined a local SAHM club and that has been a lifesaver as has been a membership to an indoor park. I constantly research and network to find new cool things for us to do. I need to have adult face to face interaction almost every day to stay sane, guess I'm a bit of an extrovert.

Also, a rough schedule helps me quite a bit. We have specific things we do each week (Tuesday is library morning and Thursday is playgroup morning) and at the beginning of each week I roughly plan activites for us to do the rest of the time. Obviously, I am extremely flexible but I like - and my kids like - having an idea of what we are doing each day, even if it is just grocery shopping and cleaning in the morning and playing in the house in the afternoon.

Of course, if you are an introvert who thrives on not having a schedule, disregard the above!

[pearl2]

I was so overwhelmed with the housework. Nothing stays clean. Now I just don't care and do something from Motivated Moms or FlyLady when I feel like it. I learned to not get angry there are dirty dishes AGAIN, and tried really hard to put it in the same category as brushing teeth--just something that must be done at least once, if not multiple times a day for "better results!" You can also get your LOs to pitch in for sure.

[mamazee]

I have a few suggestions.

1. Find a new circle of friends. If you're nursing, then maybe LLL, or really any mom's group. They're out there. But it's easy to get isolated when you're a SAHM, and that can lead to depression.

2. Find a system for housework. It's really easy to let it go, but I find if I do certain things every single day (pick up, clean bathrooms, keep kitchen clean as I go) it takes SO MUCH less time to keep up on stuff than it does if the places becomes a pigsty adn I have to work for hours to get it back looking decent. Also, if it looks reasonable you well feel comfortable having SAHM friends come over, which can help with #1.

3. I agree about the schedule thing. Find something to do each day, like a destination. Library, museum (if it's free), park, playdate, walk through the woods, whatever. It helps keep the kids from wondering what they're going to do that day. They have something to anticipate. And, again, it can help with #1 as you'll meet other SAHMs.