Working Mom Hacks: 4 Ideas to Make the Most of Weeknights

We love spending our weekends doing quality family activities and getting the most out of our time with the kids. But as a full-time working mom, what about weekdays?

Some weeknights I feel guilty after putting my two-year-old down for bed. With an 8:00 bedtime, that leaves us with only 2.5 hours to spend together. I look back on the night: we got home about 5:30, made dinner, ate, cleaned up, did the dishes, took a bath, read books, went to bed. Only getting to spend such a short time with my daughter during the week is hard, so making the most of the time we have together is essential. Here are a few tips on how to make the most out of weeknights together.

working mom hacks: weeknights
Put down the phone!

(Unless it’s to take adorable pictures of your kids!) We always talk about taking away screen time for our kids, but we can benefit from it, too. Wait until the kids are in bed before you catch up on social media and check emails. In doing so you’ll get more quality time with the kids, and when you do sit down to check your phone, you can do it uninterrupted.

Let your kids help cook.

I’m guilty of the “it’s just easier if I do it myself” mentality, but rather than sending them off to play, you could really take advantage of that time to be with your kids. Not only do you get some assistance, but it also teaches your kids the importance of cooking, taking care of themselves, and eating healthy! The kids can help get ingredients out of the cupboards and/or refrigerator, pour ingredients in, shake on some seasonings, stir, and serve onto the plates. Don’t forget to let them help set the dinning table, too.

Sit on the floor with them.

I sit down on the couch out of habit. But something as simple as just sitting down on the floor with my two-year-old encourages me to play with her more. On her level, I am able to really interact with her. Helping build towers, putting puzzles together, and playing babies are activities that had I been up on the couch, I would have missed out on doing with her.

Make a bedtime routine.

I don’t mean just read a book, brush teeth, and go to bed. Add a little extra time to your routine to get the most out of it. This could be a cartoon that you watch before getting ready for bed, quiet snuggle time in a comfortable chair, reading a favorite book, or playing a quiet game. But adding a little extra something before beginning the actual bedtime gives you more quality time and can also be something quiet and soothing to get them ready to lay down and fall asleep quick! 

As a working mom, it’s hard to keep up with the housework, cook, and take care of the kids. I often feel like the evening went by in a blur and I didn’t even accomplish anything. But just relax and don’t feel guilty about setting things aside and just focusing on the kids. It’s important to them to get quality time with their parents.

As a working mom, what do you do to make the most of your weeknights?

 

Chelsie
Chelsie lives in Durant with her Fiancé, Joe, their Daughter (1), Stepson (7), and Stepdaughter (5). She grew up in Northeast Iowa making her way to Iowa City to attend the University of Iowa were she earned her B.F.A. in Graphic Design. She currently works at Phelps Uniform Specialists in Muscatine as the Design and Marketing Coordinator. When she isn’t spending quality time with her family, she likes to enjoy some of her favorites including: watching Hawkeye Football (and Packers!), reading lots and lots of books, drinking all the coffee, camping, running, and finding new outlets to be creative.

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