where are all the stay at home mommies!? need advice!

i feel less organized staying home..maybe i should read your responses

I became a stay at home mom last August to a 2 year old and 3 year old.  YES my kids are on a loose schedule.  Eating is always within a half hour of the same times, getting up and going to bed at night are the same time.  I use certain times of the day to get housework done.  For example, after breakfast they get to choose between play-doh or coloring.  I take the half hour or so that it entertains them to load the dishwasher and put clothes in.  You learn to do a lot of it beside them too.  I typically fold clothes in the living room and let them play with the socks (although now the oldest tries to match them for me now).  

Saving money... you can check out my blog for some really simple craft ideas to do with your child that cost hardly anything and for freebies and coupons I run across.  I take time to check out sites like coupons.com and have learned what recipes I can make in bulk and freeze.  We also eat a little less meat and have more dishes with noodles or rice and beans in them.  

Two of the simplest big-hits in my house are stir-fry (with low-sodium sauces): rice, 1 chicken breast, and a bag of frozen mixed veggies  and  regular old spaghetti.   Both are very cheap and filling!

I was a SAHM. A lot of my time I spent working in the vegetable garden and growing and canning or freezing our own vegetables and fruits. I felt that I was giving my children the healthiest food this way. I baked breads from scratch, did a lot of study of nutrition and cooking. I also arranged for play time with other moms and their children. And I taught my children the basics- colors, letters, numbers, counting, arithmetic, shapes, words in a few other languages, and so forth. I also took them to classes for young children at the college and the Y.

I've been a SAHM off and on in my daughter's nearly 7 years. A big help for me was starting my daughter off young in "helping" and letting her entertain herself for the times I couldn't be there (like if I was washing dishes, she either had a tote of water and "washed" some plastic ones with me or she'd sit at her desk in the corner of the kitchen and color).

It took some changing things around but eventually I found what worked. Good luck!

get a routine going, study when baby is napping and any other things you need to do, clip coupons to save money or buy the cheaper brand.

Quoting MommytoPrince:


Im just nervouse about being home again idk why lol. How do u stay at home moms do it!? Cleaning, cooking, baby which mine is 13 months and juggle everything.. It's hard some days! I'm not going to lie, you may get overwhelmed...just make sure to get out of the house when you can, go to tot time at the library, go to the park or set up playdates. 
Do u have a schedule for baby? My babies have had a schedule since a few months old. If you don't have one in place, one should come to you once you are home a few weeks. You'll get in a routine that works for you.
Can u moms give me some tips? I assign one room per day to "clean, clean" other than that, just make sure you clean up after meals and any other little mess you may make during the day. Do a little bit of homework while you baby is sleeping and dedicate atleast 45 min-1 hour after baby goes to bed to homework.
What do u do to save money? Since now we will be living off of one income.   I don't know if you do it already but start cooking from scratch, it will save you TONS of money and will give you and baby something to do together. Also, Wal-Mart will match any competitors prices, I just look at the adds online (or in the paper) and make my list w/ the price matches on it. Just tell them at check out (remember if a store has a comparable store brand cheap, just pick up the Wal-Mart store brand and they will comp it too) I normally save anywhere from 25-50.00 dollars a visit w/ price matches. 
And what are some good easy to make cookbooks? :)  I always look online, just google quick and easy meals- try them out and then if you like one, put it on an index card and put it in a baggie or put it on one of those big rings. It will be trial by error at first! Also, remember to cook extra and you can freeze it- makes for an easy night if you've had a rough day! :) Good Luck and Congrats on staying home!
Might as well get prepared to be home.
Thanks.

You really do have to have as set schedule for the baby, or at least I did, Organization is key. It can get overwheming, but once you get the hang of it you will be fine. I look at it like any other job. I set myself a schedule of tasks that need to be completed each day and I work on that. But don't be too hard on yourself if things don't always work out like you  plan. A 13 month old demands attention sometimes. You may have to let something slide from time to time.

What I do to save money on groceries and household supplies is that I always know what I have. That way I don't buy too of something. Couponing is a great way to go. But make sure you don't use the coupon just because it's a coupon. If you won't use the item, then you are wasting money. Kids clothes are a big deal when it comes to money too since they grow so fast. I joined a swap club to get free or low cost clothes for my daughter. If you don't know, the way it works is that you post what you have that you don't need, then look to see if someone else has something that you do need. Then you can trade. Buying clothes off season is a good money saver too.

I love my Betty Crocker cookbook. There are also some great websites that you can get good recipes from. Allrecipes.com is one.that comes to mind.

Good luck!

 Well I have 4 kids, 2 are in school well it would be a good idea that the first couple of weeks you have schedule and as time goes by you will get the hang of I've always been a SAHM make sure that your son aslo has a schedule that way there are certain things you can do while he's asleep and if you are going out you can plan around his nap time you do not want a cranky baby while you are out.About saving money I say cupouns I dont mean extreme just for like canned goods cereal and toiletries and don't buy thinhs you do not need and about good and quick recipes I love rachel ray shes great.I wish you the best of luck and what ever you need I'm here

 My DD is going to be 3 and I've been home with her since day 1 and it's not easy but to me it's super rewarding. Staying at home is not for everyone though and you will have tough days (i.e. toddler years!!) BUT it's manageable! I always gave my dd some alone time once per day to play by herself, learn how to master new things on her own and give her some down time while I do the dishes, clean the bathroom or wash the floor (obviously we were in the same area so that I could still keep an eye on her). We do have a schedule but it's also flexible by a 1/2 hour or so, so it's not rigid but we try to eat meals at the same time each day, nap at the same time each day and start the bedtime routine at the same time. I get LOTS done during naps and after she goes to bed. My DH travels for work so I have to do everything by myself while he's gone and I'm not going to lie, sometimes I let the dishes pile up and don't wash them until the end of the day but I will tell you this, it is much easier to try and clean up as you go instead of waiting until the end of the day! Once you're home for a few weeks, you'll find a routine that works for you. Good luck and have so much fun staying home!