A Day in the Life of a Mom with 4 boys under 5!

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A Day in the Life of a Mom with 4 boys under 5  by Allison from  Train Up a Child

Hello Living Life Intentionally readers! My name is Allison, and I am excited to be taking part of this series. Before I jump too far into our routine I have to say that not two days are ever the same. I love organization, and I believe kids thrive on routine, however, life with kids isn't predictably. I think one of the most valuable traits a parent can have is flexibility. I have four boys five and under. JZ is 5, J-Bug is 3, and Tank and Peanut are 14 months. Flexibility has to be in place, otherwise I'd pull my hair out daily!
Let's get on to what our day looks like: 5:30 - I wake up and read my Bible and enjoy a cup of coffee. 6:00 - I exercise. (I've been doing Insanity, and I highly recommend it!) 6:45 - I shower. 7:00 - My boys wake up, and we hit the day running. JZ and J-Bug get themselves dressed and brush their own teeth while I start breakfast. Most days one or more of the boys wants to help me in the kitchen which I gladly welcome. I think habits start young, and I want to encourage them to learn kitchen skills. Also, I can often sneak in a math lesson while we cook. After breakfast the boys all play while I clean up. I like to get dinner started during this time while I still have lots of energy instead of waiting until late afternoon when I am pretty worn out. I throw in a load of laundry and pack the diaper bag if we are leaving the house that day. 9:30 - The babies go down for their morning nap. The big boys and I do school time. Our school routine is casual. We don't have a set time for any subject, nor do we have a set place to work. We do have a school and art room that we refer as our studio. Some days we work in there, and other days we work downstairs, outdoors, or anywhere we are feeling inspired. 11:30 - The little guys wake up, and we have lunch. After lunch we usually play outside until it is time for afternoon naps. 2:00 - While the younger three boys nap JZ and I do his reading lesson, and then he has quiet time. During nap/quiet time I tidy up any mess we've made, fold laundry, and then I sit and relax a bit. (This is assuming all goes well, and the three younger boys stay asleep.) I use my afternoon down time to catch up on e-mails, edit photos for my blog, and check in with my friends on Facebook. 4:00 - The boys wake up right around the time my husband comes home. He usually takes them outside while I make dinner. 5:30 - We eat dinner then play together as a family. 7:00 - My husband cleans the kitchen while I read books before bed. Sometimes I clean while he reads.
That's the gist of our day. Of course some days we have commitments like piano, Bible study, etc. I'm certainly not an expert, but I'd love to share a few tips I've learned along the way to make our days run smoother.
1. Getting up before the kids is crucial to starting my day right. First of all, it gives me much needed quiet time in God's Word. There is no better way to begin. Secondly, I am able to think clearly and prep for the day before four noisy, energetic boys take over. When I am lazy and sleep in the boys drag a grumpy mom out of bed. I don't want my kids to have a grumpy mother every morning. I like when they come downstairs to an energetic, happy mom who greets them with open arms.
2. While I like routine and consistency I do not over schedule our days. I believer children need free time every bit as much as they need structure. Balance is key, in my opinion. Also, I love planning games and sensory activities for them, but I also think it is important for kids to be able to play interdependently and entertain themselves.
3. We keep the TV off during the day. I'm not anti TV. My kids watch a little bit, and they play the occasional video games. When they do watch TV it is in the afternoons or evenings. I have seen a huge different in behavior when we keep the television off during the day. I prefer that we do our work in the morning and play outside when the weather is nice. Then if they want to choose a show or two at night I feel like we have already had a full and productive day.
4. Be intentional about what you eat. Remember what you eat and what your children eat affects your attitude, energy level and attention span. Don't serve sugary cereals for breakfast then expect your kids to focus during school lessons. We aim to use whole foods as much as possible and avoid processed foods. The time spent preparing whole food meals can be quality time spent with your children if you set it up right. Cooking is fun in our house. The boys love to whip out the measuring cups and spoons, and JZ takes charge of all the egg cracking and cheese grating. Like I mentioned earlier, math is easy to incorporate during cooking. Children as usually so busy helping and taking pride in their efforts that they don't even realize they are learning.
5. Forget about the mess. Don't get me wrong. I am borderline OCD. I can't stand clutter and messes. I used to be unable to fall asleep if one tiny thing was out of place. Those days have passed. It is much more important to me to play with my kids and enjoy these days when they are young than to keep the picture perfect house. I think it's important to teach children good habits like picking up after themselves, and I think they can learn and play better in an organized environment. So I'm not suggesting you let the house become trashed and forgotten. What I am saying is to leave that pile of dishes to chase them around outside, fold the laundry after they are in bed so you can do a puzzle or paint a picture with them, and prioritize. Choose what is most important to you, and focus on that. The kitchen and bathrooms are the most important in my mind. I go a bit longer between dusting sessions than I used to before having four kids, but dirty bathrooms and kitchens gross me out.
6. Keep your phone put away. I cannot emphasize this enough. If cleaning should fall second to playing with your children, how much more should checking in on Facebook or texting your friends take a back seat? I allow myself specific times to check in and then stay off the phone the rest of the day while my kids are awake. My attention is already divided between four children. It doesn't need to be divided by social media, too.
7. Have fun and play. I can't tell you how many times this past summer I ended up running through the sprinklers, rubbing my hands in shaving cream, or finger painting with my boys. I love these moments, and I love teaching my children that they are worthy of my time and attention. I want to look back on this time in my life and know that we lived life to the fullest. :)


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What is your day like?

Would you like to contribute to A Day in the Life of Another Mom? We’d love to read about your day! This series will be ongoing as long as there are people willing to give us all a glimpse into their lives. If you would like to share A Day in Your Life please email me your day to livinglifeintentionallyblog (at) gmail.com. Feel free to include picture (s). I will let you know when it will be posted. (If you have a blog please let me know as I will include a link to your blog in the post.)