You need to take advantage of your children now, and they need you. Every day creates a memory and you should all look back with fond memories. I will throw you.
1: Decide what is important and drop the rest
Seriously. You can't, can't do it all. The good news is, you don't have too many. If you think about it, a lot of what you're trying to fit into your day comes from the demands of others. Every minute that you spend away from your children is a minute that is gone for good. If it's not important to you, let it go.
2: Organize Your Time
Is it bill paying, meal prep, laundry, cleaning, or something similar that you are finding too big to manage? I like to “cage” big tasks into specific time blocks in my week. For example, doing the bulk of the meal prep on Sunday afternoon gives me a week of meals in just a few hours. Knowing that I will come home after work to a dinner that is already finished cuts down on my stress every day of that week. Taking the same approach to other big tasks creates more time for you to enjoy your single mom's life.
3: Give more hugs
Time and time again, single moms tell me that disciplining their kids is a tough experience. These moms report having experienced a lot of arguments, power struggles, whining, etc. While my Create Cooperative Kids program teaches single moms how to better understand their children and manage their behavior more effectively, I find that very often, giving a big hug instead of screaming or arguing makes such a difference. Your children may "know" that you love them. Make sure they “smell” you like them.
4: Do what you love
Have you lost touch with your hobbies and interests? They are patiently awaiting your return and new interests are waiting to be discovered. Don't waste 6,935 days of your own life just because you have children living in your home. Do things that revitalize you. That's right, as a single mom you give a lot of yourself to make it all work. But if you give it your all it won't work for long. You may need to set aside time to do what you love, and you may have fewer minutes at a time to do it, but be sure to do it.
5: Don't listen to your family and friends
Everyone seems to have an opinion or (often worse) judgment about your life and what to do. You already know more than you think. No one else can know what's good for you and your baby better than a mother.
Listen when it's useful, but when something doesn't resonate, digest it and let it go. Trust yourself. You have a mother's intuition and that applies to more aspects of your life right now than just knowing when your child needs a diaper change
6: Talk to your kids
I like to get to know my children. We discuss nature, God, politics, their friends, pretty much everything. And I don't want to hear you say they won't talk. They might not be used to talking to you, but it's pretty easy to change. Use my 50 Teen Conversation Starters (Hint: They Work At Any Age. Click The Link For Immediate Access) and make it a daily practice to have meaningful engagement with you.
7: Stay true to yourself.
It may take a little quiet time, a little time for you. The meditation would be amazing, but I know what you might be thinking, "Yeah, right, who has a time for that when you're raising a baby?" "
It may be giving yourself just a few minutes to stay still in bed before going to sleep and consciously trying to calm your overactive but exhausted mind. Maybe this is when you can walk around with the stroller. Instead of grabbing your iPhone, sit for a moment with your thoughts..
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