When I first introduced myself to this website, I mentioned my hands off parenting approach. It could be called lazy parenting, 80’s parenting, or just simply back to basics. In the past two and half years, I’ve realized that I tend to over think and complicate things, planning too much and thinking too big. The most interesting thing I have found is that, this isn’t complicated stuff, it’s simple. The big thing is that getting back to basics isn’t just what is best for my kid, it’s also what’s best for me.
#1: Plenty of Sleep: I am strict about bedtime. I make excemptions for special occasions, but Eli needs to be in bed at 9. He needs to go down for a nap no more than 5.5 hours after he wakes up. It is vital to our whole day that he gets enough sleep. Furthermore, it is vital that I get enough sleep too. That means implementing a 10:30 bedtime. I don’t necessarily get to sleep then, but I at least have something to aim for.
#2: Healthy Eating: As far as nutrition goes, I’m fairly lax. The only veggies I can consistently get Eli to eat are frozen peas. Rather than making it a battle, I focus on him eating the other healthy things that he likes and don’t stress the occasional cookie. We both feel better if we stick to a generally healthy eating plan aren’t arguing over food. A sample day for us looks like:
Breakfast: blueberries, yogurt, toast, bacon
Snacks: nuts, applesauce, fruit and veggie popsicles
Lunch: hummus, pita chips, carrot slices, oranges
Dinner: chili, cheese, peas
#3: Outside Playtime: No matter how many fun activites, games and playdough we play with inside, nothing beats being outside. We have been striving to spend an average of 3 hours outside a day and it is making a world of difference.
#4: Spending Time With Friends: It’s really easy to get sucked into a very introverted lifestyle as a SAHM, but it does not do my soul or my child any good to not interact with any real people. We have a playdate planned each week and make an effort to get to church and the library each week so that we may visit people and be out in the world.
#5: Planning: When I plan, I tend to overplan and never give myself as much time as I need to. Eli and I have something to look forward to each week, things that get us out of the house, things that get us looking forward to the day instead of juts trying to get through it. Our loose schedule is as follows:
Monday: Relaxed day at home
Tuesday: Soccer class
Wednesday: Playdate
Thursday: Craft or explore day
Friday: Library
Saturday: Family movie night
Sunday: Church, family adventure day
Aside from focusing on those things, we try to let everything else fall to the wayside. We have Eli practicing independence and autonomy. Doing so makes our jobs much easier because we don’t do everything for him.
What is your main focus when parenting? Do you subscribe to a particular style of child-rearing?
blogger / kiwi / 675 posts
I really like this, my approach is similar as a SAHM and I feel like when I get too much on my plate we all suffer and are rushed and I hate that. I like to focus on these basic items and have something to look forward to each day of the week too! Great post.
guest
Love this approach too. I find myself stressing about mealtimes often, but I’ve really learned I just have to let it go and tell myself she will eat if she is hungry and just try to offer the most healthy options for snacks. We follow a similar weekly schedule and I do think it helps because they get used to the routine. Thanks for sharing!