Learning to Thrive as a Stay at Home Mom: Coping with the Unique Issues of Being Stay-at-Home Parents

Being a stay at home mom is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do, but it is also a surprisingly high stress and high energy job. The monotony of life at home with small children can wear on a stay at home mom in unexpected ways and result in feeling tired, lonely, and bored.

Fighting Fatigue as a Stay at Home Mom

Being a mom is hard work, and moms often find themselves feeling tired and drained. Most stay at home moms are the main caregiver for their children for most of the day and night and many feel the pressure of working a 24 hour a day job. Fatigue is normal, especially for mothers of an infant, but it can distract from the joy of motherhood.

If fatigue is getting in the way of successful parenting and a mother’s happiness, finding time for rest needs to become a priority. Many mothers learn to take advantage of late night peace and quiet after their kids have gone to bed at the expense of their own sleep. Limiting the amount of time spent watching T.V. or finishing up chores at night can make a big difference in a mother’s energy level the next day. Sleep quality is best between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Make an effort to be in bed before 11:00 p.m. at least a few times a week and try to end the night with a relaxing activity such as a warm bath or reading a good book to encourage sleep.

Dealing with Loneliness as a Stay at Home Mom

Many moms struggle with feelings of loneliness after becoming a stay at home parent. The transition to life as a stay at home mom can be difficult, especially if you are at home with a young baby and are used to the adult interaction provided by a work environment. Making an effort to get together with other adults at least a few times a week will help make the transition to life as a stay at home mom much easier and help keep loneliness at bay.

Playgroups are not just for older kids. Moms with a newborn at home often feel like they cannot participate in neighborhood or local playgroups but playgroups are for the moms just as much as they are for the kids. Meet a friend for lunch or sneak out after the kids go to bed to see a late night movie. Having kids does not mean an end to having a social life; it just requires a bit more creativity.

Being a stay at home parent to an infant comes with a lot of down time. Moms who are used to life in a busy work place may struggle to get through each day as boredom increases. Becoming a stay at home parent does not mean allowing your brain to slowly dissolve into a baby food. Take the opportunity to develop talents and hobbies that were impossible with a full time work schedule.

Happiness has been proven to increase when you are able to become absorbed in an activity, whether that is stamp collecting or photography. Take a community education class at night to help you explore hobbies and talents that you may not have had the opportunity to discover before. Establish a daily routine to help maintain a sense of order during the day but don’t be afraid to change it up every once in a while. Take advantage of warm weather to have a picnic in the backyard or take the day off and explore a new local venue.

Life as a stay at home mom can be rewarding and exciting. Stay at home moms have the ability to make every day an adventure, for themselves and their children. A little bit of planning and some creative thinking can help moms find satisfaction as a stay at home parent and provide a loving environment for children.

Mar 17, 2009 8:41 PM

Guest :

I absolutely loved my time at home with my kids. I got involved in a lot of different programs, built great friendships for myself and my kids and built strong relationships with my daughters that pulled me through all the stages of life we go through. After a couple of years at home with my kids, my husband got laid off so I went back to work for a while and he stayed home with the kids. I thought that I wouldn't be able to handle anything to tricky at work considering I had been home for so long, I had no idea what skills I had picked up while being at home. Time management, patience, listening skills. I was able to get more work done in less time than anyone else in the office.

By my husband staying at home he got a chance to build strong bonds with his daughters as well. We thought his lay off was going to be horrible but as usual everything happens for a reason and him being laid off was the best thing that could have happened for his relationship with his daughters.

In the blink of an eye or twenty years later, depending on your perspective, our daughters are in University, healthy, happy, self confident adults, my husband and I are divorced and still very dear friends. Those relationship we built in the early years made us all into the people we are today and I wouldn't change that time at home with my kids for anything in the world. I am now a parenting facilitator and my life motto is "Be true to yourself, be honest with your kids and enjoy every moment!"