3 kids 3 & under and I'm so exhausted nothing is getting done, HELP!

by Sarah
(Newberg OR)

How do you get it all done and still have sewing time and "quality" teachable time and fun time with the kiddos????

I'm sinking under dirty dishes and mountains of laundry but running around like a chicken missing its head and its just never "all the way nice" (much less having time w/ the older 2).

How and when do you do various chores to keep it up? or What tips make it go faster???

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Sep 02, 2011
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by: Samantha

Faster? Yes, I have tips to make it faster, but I don't want you running around a faster chicken w/its head cut off!

Okay, so how do we get it all done,love our kids, love ourselves, and keep our sanity?

Have a routine, do it as often as you can, and repeat. The laundry & dishes get done, house is clean, and the free time does come. Remember, if something comes up & you don't get to your routine that day, relax and know you'll get to it tomorrow.

Three kids under three is tough. Your kids require a lot more of you right now, but as they get older this will change & you'll create more time. Teach them to be as independent as. For instance, my five year old boy can get my four and three year old water w/ice for me. He takes out the trash, pull the cans in, etc. My husband has taught him to brush the sides of the pool, skim for leaves, and dump the leaves into the green waste. Take these moments and turn them into the quality teachable time you're looking for. My three year old helps me pull laundry out of the washer counting it while putting it in the dryer. My four year old loves to serve dinner plates as I put food on them teaching her the various letters and sounds of what we're having for dinner. You get the picture.

Now, to keep your sanity and create more time, think about your home and break it down into sections. For instance, kitchen, bedrooms, baths, den, etc. Dedicate thirty minutes a day to cleaning it making sure to clean the most used areas everyday & dedicating some time to a section. I try to clean my three baths daily if not every other day. It takes me fifteen minutes if that. I quickly wipe the mirrors, spray & wipe faucets, sink, and counters with disinfecting spray. The toilet gets a quick swish with hand soap pumped on a brush (no dangerous toilet cleaner needed). The toilet is also sprayed and wiped from top to bottom. Once you have flexible routines under your belt, things are a bit calmer, and the basics are covered, you'll find yourself being able to schedule in cleaning the other sections of your home.

To keep things tidy, we put things away as we use them. If my kids are playing and they have several toys out they haven't played with for thirty minutes or so, I'll ask them if they're playing with them and if not, to put them away. This typically saves us from a floor covered with toys and kids too overwhelmed to clean it all up.

With a family of six, I do laundry daily (at least one load usually more). Laundry is washed, dried, and put away. No clothes are left in the dryer to be folded and "put away" later.

Last but not least, change the "all the way nice" thinking to "it's good enough because it's done". Take the time you spent worrying about it and spend it with your kids. Get to bed earlier too, don't stay up too late doing chores, watching t.v. on the computer, etc. Treat yourself to much needed rest because we don't want your kid?s memories to be that of an always exhausted mom.

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