Overwhelming, but what a fulfillment as parents to conquer this day to day life. Juggling family life with multiple children while keeping a fulltime job is already a challenge, now the pandemic has made it even more complex. I remember being asked many times how I survive being a fulltime mom with a fulltime job (also the same question my husband gets, as he works fulltime as well). My shift work adds a whirlwind to our family schedule and our kids are super active toddlers to top it off. This by the way applies to any North American household in this new age, especially now during COVID. I said this because I grew up in the Philippines where there is help available 24/7 as we usually live with or are neighbors with our families. Also, the norm back there is that most middle class to upper class homes have one or more housemaids (I know right?!).
And now because of COVID, the help we can get from the kids’ grandparents is limited, so I understand how hard it is for those families who seek help a few times a week! We are now required to have stronger mental health, be extra vigilant and be more resilient than ever as human beings, and even more so as parents. Not only we have to adjust our whole family life routine (or semi-routine) and cope with all the changes, but we also have to make sure that our littles are also–adjusting, coping, and understanding why they have to be restricted from all their favorite social activities and places all of a sudden, in hopes that they comply to be safe. Here’s how to survive and keep a healthier family life:
1. Have FAITH.
Explore this tool: Your Inner Heart.
Have you heard of this saying, “A family that prays together, stays together”? It is my Catholic background that always reminds me that God is there to talk to through prayers, and to put faith in Him at all times. My husband and I hold onto our faith to keep our family safe at all times, to stay cohesive as possible, to provide us the strength to keep doing what we do in the most righteous way, and to remind us to be grateful for the blessings we keep receiving to this day. So long as we hold on to our faith, in any religion or spiritual deity, we will have a guiding light. This will keep us inspired to keep going, have hope for a better tomorrow, and survive any hardships that may be thrown our way, such as this pandemic. This is what we hope to instill to our children as early as possible, and that is why we chose to send our firstborn to a Catholic school (I will write a separate blog exploring this choice!). Mom life is much more meaningful and purposeful when there’s faith.
2. Get ORGANIZED.
Gather these following tools: Wall Calendar, Calendar App, and Planner.
Yes, I recommend having them all! As a busy mom, I need a visual of everyone’s schedule not just on the wall, but also on my phone and planner. Find a good sized calendar and place them somewhere in the center of your home where everyone can see. In our home, the fridge is the spot! I like the ones you get from the dollar stores as they have a great selection of sizes for such a great deal. Then, sync this with a Calendar App that works for you, where you can easily plug in your schedule/tasks/appointments. I love Work Shift Calendar App because it is the most user friendly to me, and I can color code them all! Also this way I can send a screenshot to my husband anytime he needs it. A planner is an option for some, but for others who also have other endeavors and side hustles, it is a must! I recommend it since it can be used as a birthday reminder (so many birthdays every month!), cleaning schedule, goal settings, budget worksheets can also be plugged in here, or any to do lists to keep a family life together. Plus, planners are pretty nowadays!
3. Keep HEALTHY.
Install any of these: Any Fitness App or a Treadmill.
As a mom (and/or dad), we are not allowed to get sick! As a medical professional, I believe that prevention is the key. Choose healthier choices with lots of fruits and veggies, your choice of exercise (we need to keep that blood flow going–it really clears up fogginess and takes care of our cardiovascular health), get your flu shots, take your multivitamins and Vitamin C daily, and don’t forget to rest when you can! We have to keep our bodies strong in any way we can. For added prevention from the pandemic, please wear your mask when you get out that door, don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly once you get home (we just can’t bring anything home!), and perform a daily COVID self-assessment found here: https://bc.thrive.health/ For more information about symptoms to keep our family life in check, click here: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/symptoms-covid-19
4. Think CLEAN.
Keep this tool in your bag wherever you go: A Pocket Sanitizer.
Our household members had gotten used to doubling our handwashing protocol since the start of pandemic, sanitizing what comes from the outside (those boxes, you just never know!), and having this awareness when we are out. A little extreme for others, but worth doing in my opinion. Do your own research if you’re a little skeptical about this one. We also keep a sanitizer spray and wipes in our cars. Sadly we are also wiping out everything, including the good bacteria. We just don’t want to take risks nowadays. But is there a way to keep a healthy skin microbiome and normal gut flora? Yes! Going back to healthy foods rich in probiotics and fibers, and using probiotic supplements!
5. Do WEEKLY GROCERIES.
Recommended but not necessary: Costco Membership Card and a Chest Freezer.
Who has the time to keep going the stores everyday when you have this kind of schedule? We don’t want to keep going back to limit our exposure as well during this pandemic. Those bulk items from Costco are super handy for family life! Those bulk meats can be separated in smaller Ziploc bags and place them in your chest freezer (they take up a ton of space). And don’t forget your vegetables! This is your meal planning is a huge deal but notice I highlighted to do weekly groceries instead of plan your meals. A not-so-strict meal planning is what my husband does (and yes he does the grocery and at the same time he is our amazing chef!) and it works perfectly (yes, lucky me!). Not so strict because he plans for a variety of food that my Kindergartener will have for her lunchbox throughout the week, while thinking about what the rest of us will have. Most of the time our meals are catered to what the little one will eat as well (my 2 year old is in that picky stage!). Those meats come in handy for making soups for our picky little guy. And, we are guilty to have take outs here and there, especially when we are just too tired and craving (really, when mom is craving!). We have our favorites! Thank God for Skip the Dishes.
6. MULTITASK your way through.
Master this tool: Creativity.
You just have to. This is what mom life is all about. If you can eliminate chores here and there, especially when one kid is in school, it will make life easier (I know, sometimes it’s just not possible because of exhaustion, just like that feeling after a second night shift!). We are blessed to have technology on our side now and we can do our house chores simultaneously. I remember as a child, my mother used to do everything manually as we were not able to afford such appliances, and it was painful to see our mom handwashing all of our clothes! Our generation is very fortunate as convenience is way more achievable. I love how we can use the washer and dryer to do laundry all day, use the dishwasher, cook meals using a slow cooker, and use a robot vacuum that will clean your floor (I wish I have this one), all at the same time! But, somehow it is still busy (especially now with the pandemic)! In this day and age, in our own different ways, I’m pretty sure we busy parents have mastered this already; we just have to find ways to be creative, right? Anything to make our life much easier, to create more of the actual “family life”. Not everyday is a productive day but we just try our best to multitask what we can, when we can.
7. Find an OUTLET.
Unleash this tool: Your Talents.
This is for your own mental health’s sake. For those who don’t do shift work, it’s nice to have a structure and you can schedule most of your tasks. For us who do 12-hr shift work with a mix of days and nights, there is no structure, and so we have to check in with our mental health more often. Again, because of the pandemic, we can’t just have a break and go out with friends to unwind anymore. So we stick to doing what we love to refresh our minds instead. I have to be creating something in tandem with my restless brain and that is my therapy. These include blogging (still so new to this), crafting, and exploring my mystical side by practicing oracle readings. I recently started meditating as a way to de-stress when pandemic started, and that opened up another realm of self care for me. My husband on the other hand likes to run and so he does 10km run a few times a week to release. I am glad he influenced me to run as well! Luckily we have a treadmill because I prefer to run in it, while hubby enjoys outdoor runs. Our family life got better when we finally found our happiest hobbies. Find your balance; find what gives you a sense of break. Mom, you have to squeeze in self care!
8. Connect using CHAT GROUPS.
Download this tool: WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger
I feel like we were being mentally prepared for this pandemic. Imagine without our handheld devices to do video calls, and no prior knowledge how to utilize social media and chat group accounts? We are already trained to socialize virtually before COVID. Now that we are required to socially distant and keep our bubble to a minimum, we can only rely on communicating through audio and video calls, and through text messages via emails, SMS, and chats. A fun, interactive way is having chat groups with families and friends. This way we can also share multimedia info to provide news, photo updates, and even just for laughs, which we do daily with our siblings and cousins! A family life including our extended families in loop is still possible and achievable! What if there’s really no one to connect with? Try joining mom communities through social media! This is a great way to exchange ideas and you will be surprised to find little tips and tricks that will work for you! Give it a try if you haven’t done so.
9. Insert HAPPINESS.
Wear these tools often: Your Smile. Oh, and Your Mask!
Celebrate little things, have a special family day at least once a week to do small outings, catch fresh air (this is important too), and create traditions unique to yours that will last a lifetime. We can use this pandemic to strengthen bonds with our families by spending more quality time and doing activities together. This will spike creativity to find ways to keep our little ones busy. Although travelling out of country is not an option right now, we can revisit these memories by printing out photos and making scrapbooks as a family. Mom life, and ultimately family life are the best lives! These are what memories are made of!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Love this, friend!! ❤️
Thank you BFF!
Even though my kids are older I can still relate to so much of this. I especially love your mention of healthy eating. At the start of the pandemic I took it as a free pass to eat anything, and we all know how that turned out. This is all great advice for all moms.
Thank you so much for your feedback Stephanie, and I’m so glad I was of help somehow! We are all striving so hard during these times, lots of hugs❤
This is a great read. We are a blended family of 7. My husband and I worked either at home or in our small family business. With 4 boys between 11 to 16 years old it was a hectic time. Thank you for sharing thise great tips.
Thank you Cecile! Wow seven?! I salute you guys, that is truly hectic! Thank you for sharing as well ❤
I wanted to thank you for this very good read!! I certainly enjoyed every little bit of it. Marcille Austin Andrej
Thank you for your feedback Marcille 💟
Well I really enjoyed reading it. This subject provided by you is very practical for correct planning. Tandie Josiah Marwin
Aw thanks so much! 💟
What a data of un-ambiguity and preserveness of precious know-how concerning unpredicted emotions. Marylou Antin Kegan
Thank you for your feedback 💟
I like it when folks come together and share opinions. Great site, keep it up. Adrienne Wilton Hank
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 💟
Hey there! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to take a look. Jackelyn Eugene Avrom
Oh great, may I ask who shared my site?! Many thanks!
You made some clear points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found most persons will consent with your website. Sheeree Tully Limann
Thanks for your feedback 💟
For most recent information you have to go to see web and on the web I found this web site as a most excellent web site for most recent updates. Noellyn Kylie Josephina
This article provides clear idea designed for the new viewers of blogging, that really how to do blogging and site-building. Morganica Theodor Korten
Thank you kindly 💟
I really like and appreciate your blog. Really thank you! Fantastic. Zorina Bryn Rosenblatt
Thank you so much! 💟
I think this is a real great article post. Much thanks again. Cool.
Thank you very much for your feedback!