How to Be a Fun Mom When You Are Exhausted

How to Be a Fun Mom When You are Exhausted

Being a mom can be straight up exhausting. As a stay at home mom, you do the cooking, the potty breaks, the cleaning, the appointments, the toddler gymnastics class, schedule family time and play dates. You make time for romance with your husband and schedule the a/c repair tech to come over. Even on your off days, you are still getting ish done because that’s who you are.

You do it all because you’re a freakin’ superhero and I’m proud of you for it. You should be proud of yourself for it. Even when you get overwhelmed, you keep the train chugging along. 

Doing it all, all the time, eventually leads to burnout in any job. But your job doesn’t exactly have days off. So what do you do when you are exhausted but have to keep the kiddos entertained? Let’s get into it. 

PS: save this post so you can find it later!

How to be a Fun Mom When You are Exhausted

Pivot

When you are exhausted, it can be more difficult to accomplish everything on your to do list. Instead of trying to do three loads of laundry, the dishes, cook an intricate dinner that takes over an hour and wrangle your sick-but-energetic kids, pivot to something easier. Focus on accomplishing one load of laundry and the dishes. Throw a go-to meal in the crockpot and try to find an activity that is low energy but still keeps them entertained. 

Instead of trying to do a full thirty minutes of preschool math lessons with worksheets and multiple activities, build blocks with your four year old and have him count them while he stacks. You can be a fun mom by taking the pressure off of yourself to stick to a rigid schedule.

PS: stay tuned for my post on how I’m preparing my three year old for preschool. 

Come Prepared

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you may be aware that I like to be prepared. No really, take a look at any of these posts:

• How to Prepare for a Power Outage With Small Children
• How to Organize Your Car With a Toddler
• SAHM Morning Routine

I like to have a collection of rarely used toys for occasions when I need a little extra help. I keep them in a locking shoe box and bring them out when I am under the weather or trying to accomplish something and my son needs something to hold his attention for longer. They’re exciting to him because he doesn’t see them often, and can be played with independently. 

Lean on Your Tribe

When you are exhausted, it is not the time to be stubborn. Ask your family members or friends to help you get everything done. They can watch the kids while you decorate for a birthday party or take a nap. Your husband may not know you need help getting the lawn mowed if you don’t ask. 

If you think you might be getting sick (which can definitely lead to exhaustion), check out my post on entertaining your kiddos while sick. 

If you go to a gym with childcare like I do, don’t pick up the kids as soon as you are done working out. Sit in the lobby for ten minutes and read or just breathe. Give yourself permission to allow the childcare to last just a bit longer. 

Lower Your Expectations

I know you want to be able to manage it all. I do too. And it kills me when I feel like I’m failing or underperforming. But you are still a good mom even if you didn’t make homemade desserts, design handmade valentines or Halloween costumes, or your house isn’t Pinterest-worthy. You are still worthy when you use a frozen bag of pre-cut veggies instead of chopping them yourself. Stop beating yourself up for not being perfect. You’re not, no one is and that is A-okay.

By lowering your expectations, you give yourself a break when you are exhausted. You give yourself the ability to slow down and focus on what really matters: which is a safe, loving, happy home for your family. 

Lessen Your Load

I don’t know if anyone has told you this, but you don’t have to get everything done today, or any day really. It’s ok if, in this season of your life, your house isn’t always tidy. Toddlers are A LOT to deal with. 

It is ok if your kid’s clothes don’t match perfectly. It’s ok if you don’t get to that craft project or if you do a grocery pick up instead of going into the store. Try to stick to the basics when cleaning, and the rest will work itself out.

Don’t try to do all the things but stick to a few frugal activities when planning family fun. My point is, don’t try to do it all. Just focus on what you can manage. You can be a fun mom without trying to do it all.

One of my favorite quotes is “be patient with yourself. Nothing in nature blooms all year.” I think it is a great reminder that you cannot expect yourself to be at the top of your game 100% of the time. 

Be proud enough to recognize all that you do and humble enough to know that you are human. You are not infallible. You cannot be the best possible mom to your kids when you are exhausted. Take the time to catch your breath and then go back to being the amazing mom that you are. 

You can also check out my post on being present as a mom for some more tips. 

If you liked this post, be sure to leave and comment and subscribe to my emails so you never miss a post!