Sahms - what's your schedule during the week?

[Anonymous]

OP, we did classes at 9 months and it was stressful. They're all at naptime! Save your money and do what YOU want to do instead.

[Anonymous]

You need to find a gym with great childcare and a playgroup.

I never found being a SAHM isolating, you can do anything you want all day! I'm 10 years into this gig as of January and its all about making it work for the kids (always prioritize naps) and for you.

You need to get your baby on a different schedule.

[Anonymous]

I feel like your 9 month old is difficult because you give him too much attention and always hold him. Let him be bored and learn how to entertain himself. He's getting a little too much attention now that he wouldn't get if he were a younger sibling instead of the oldest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like your 9 month old is difficult because you give him too much attention and always hold him. Let him be bored and learn how to entertain himself. He's getting a little too much attention now that he wouldn't get if he were a younger sibling instead of the oldest.

You just don't get it. I don't hold him all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to find a gym with great childcare and a playgroup.

I never found being a SAHM isolating, you can do anything you want all day! I'm 10 years into this gig as of January and its all about making it work for the kids (always prioritize naps) and for you.

You need to get your baby on a different schedule.

OP: I have found a gym with great childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP is saying the first nap is 10am. He's 9m so prob on 2 naps. This is a hard age because you are right, most classes are at 10am.

Here's what I would do:

Wake at 6am. Feed him, "play", whatever. Maybe go for a walk outside in the stroller. Bundle up and get fresh air. Or throw him in the car and go through a drive through and get yourself coffee.

Try starting nap earlier- 9am

When he wakes up feed a bottle and head out for the day. Plans w a friend? Do you have friends w babies on 2 naps? Library, Barnes and noble etc. there are classes for kids w 2 naps, you just need to look harder. Where do you live? We did a lot of Kidville classes in Bethesda.

Lunch at home and then nap around 1pm

Back out after nap. Grocery shop, run an errand etc.

Home for dinner, LONG bath, lots of stories and bedtime.

It's a long day with a 9 month old, but generally just do what you want to do and take him with you in the stroller. Go to the portrait gallery, or natural history museum. Or to target. Enjoy your day and just bring him along. He will probably enjoy the change of scenery.

Also, try and do as much of this as possible w a friend. The life of a SAHM can be lonely. Find yourself some company.

No he wakes up at 10-10:30 am every morning. He does a dream feed at 6-7 am. My husband likes to feed him before work. He sleeps at 10 pm and takes 4 -5 naps during the day. This is working for us now. I know it's a bit different then most babies sleeping schedules but I am not complaining. Our son cosleeps with us.

[Anonymous]

I must be missing something. You are a SAHM and you have childcare, and you need help figuring out when to go to the gym? How about whenever your childcare is available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP is saying the first nap is 10am. He's 9m so prob on 2 naps. This is a hard age because you are right, most classes are at 10am.

Here's what I would do:

Wake at 6am. Feed him, "play", whatever. Maybe go for a walk outside in the stroller. Bundle up and get fresh air. Or throw him in the car and go through a drive through and get yourself coffee.

Try starting nap earlier- 9am

When he wakes up feed a bottle and head out for the day. Plans w a friend? Do you have friends w babies on 2 naps? Library, Barnes and noble etc. there are classes for kids w 2 naps, you just need to look harder. Where do you live? We did a lot of Kidville classes in Bethesda.

Lunch at home and then nap around 1pm



Back out after nap. Grocery shop, run an errand etc.

Home for dinner, LONG bath, lots of stories and bedtime.

It's a long day with a 9 month old, but generally just do what you want to do and take him with you in the stroller. Go to the portrait gallery, or natural history museum. Or to target. Enjoy your day and just bring him along. He will probably enjoy the change of scenery.

Also, try and do as much of this as possible w a friend. The life of a SAHM can be lonely. Find yourself some company.

No he wakes up at 10-10:30 am every morning. He does a dream feed at 6-7 am. My husband likes to feed him before work. He sleeps at 10 pm and takes 4 -5 naps during the day. This is working for us now. I know it's a bit different then most babies sleeping schedules but I am not complaining. Our son cosleeps with us.

Ok 5 naps a day isn't appropriate for a 9m old. This is why he's fussy. 2 naps are appropriate. Generally 9-10:30/11 and 1/1:30-3pm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please give me tips! I'm staying home with my difficult 9 month old and I feel like I get nothing done. I want to start going to the gym for an hour every day. I finally found a childcare provider who is good with him. My son wakes up at 6 am and then goes back to sleep until 10 am. Most of the baby classes are all starting around this time so I haven't been going.

You are a stay at home mom and you have childcare? Are you kidding me?

Do you take your kids with you to the gym or to doctors appointments? No, you have childcare.

NP here, and I don't go to the gym, but yes, I bring my kid/s to my doctor appointments. And if the other parent watches the kid, that's not childcare.

+1

[Anonymous]

OP, you need to consolidate your son's schedule. 1) He's cranky because it's not appropriate and 2) you can't leave the house because he's taking naps all day. You say this works for you, but then you come here asking for schedule advice.

It really needs to be something more like

7 am wake
930/10: Nap
130/2: Nap
630/7: Bedtime.

Once he's on an appropriate schedule he should be a lot happier and you can leave the house.

[Anonymous]

I should also add, I used to work overnight. It is incredibly difficult to sleep against your body's rhythms. I slept all day and worked at night. Yes, I had the textbook 8 hours or whatever but the quality was just not the same and I felt like shit all the time. I imagine your son feels similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a SAHM now and I have never trusted anyone except my DH and my mom to look after my children. Especially when I was a WOHM. What does it tell you? Nothing, except I found it difficult to trust people with childcare.

Now I am a SAHM with two out of the nest and one in HS. I have a cleaning lady, twice a week as well as a lawn maintainence person. I have had them since before my kids were born - so more than 20 years. They have been with us when I was having my babies and when I was WOH. I realized very early that instead of paying for therapy, I can pay for the cleaning person and I will be much happier in life. We are middle class for DC, and I am happy that I have good help and I have managed to retain them with excellent pay.

Having a babysitter, a nanny, a chauffeur, a cook, a personal trainer, a maid is nothing to be defensive about - regardless of if you are a SAHM or a WOHM. You are actually helping the economy and you obviously have the money to afford this. What is bad is not paying these people fair wages or treating them with disrespect. (This also applies to people who do not pay contractors).

I love the luxury and peace of mind of having a domestic staff. An absolutely clean and well maintained house is my thing and priority. Some people like to spend their money on vacations and going out to eat or on spas. I on the other hand like to have a well organized and clean house and yard. DH and I host often, we have a thriving social life, my HS has friends over for projects and such. All this is possible for me only because I have help.

I am not a superwoman. Being the super-mom is tiring and fruitless. I am however able to have a clean house, relaxed and peaceful atmosphere at home, no fights within the family, no resentments, ability of the family members to have hobbies, friends, or socialize - because someone else helps me out. I am grateful that I have that luxury. My cleaning lady does more for the happiness of my entire family and frees us up to do the things we want to do, than any other relative or friend. She is appreciated and she is rewarded.

If my post makes anyone go ballistic - oh well!

Not being snarky or judgmental, just curious - now that your kids are out of the house (or nearly, in the case of the HSer), what do you do all day? I agree with everything you said about the cleaning lady - I love a clean house and I hate cleaning! So if I were a SAHM I'd hate having to do chores and I'd probably want to outsource them too. But - what do you do?!

[Anonymous]

Your son's nap/sleep schedule is actually not working for you because it is messing up you daytime plans. 10 pm is too late a bedtime. Try putting him down at 6:30 or 7 pm for a week to reset his bedtime. Then consolidate daytime napping to two naps. Once this is under control, you can make more daytime plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like your 9 month old is difficult because you give him too much attention and always hold him. Let him be bored and learn how to entertain himself. He's getting a little too much attention now that he wouldn't get if he were a younger sibling instead of the oldest.

Don't listen to this troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP is saying the first nap is 10am. He's 9m so prob on 2 naps. This is a hard age because you are right, most classes are at 10am.

Here's what I would do:

Wake at 6am. Feed him, "play", whatever. Maybe go for a walk outside in the stroller. Bundle up and get fresh air. Or throw him in the car and go through a drive through and get yourself coffee.

Try starting nap earlier- 9am

When he wakes up feed a bottle and head out for the day. Plans w a friend? Do you have friends w babies on 2 naps? Library, Barnes and noble etc. there are classes for kids w 2 naps, you just need to look harder. Where do you live? We did a lot of Kidville classes in Bethesda.

Lunch at home and then nap around 1pm

Back out after nap. Grocery shop, run an errand etc.

Home for dinner, LONG bath, lots of stories and bedtime.

It's a long day with a 9 month old, but generally just do what you want to do and take him with you in the stroller. Go to the portrait gallery, or natural history museum. Or to target. Enjoy your day and just bring him along. He will probably enjoy the change of scenery.

Also, try and do as much of this as possible w a friend. The life of a SAHM can be lonely. Find yourself some company.

No he wakes up at 10-10:30 am every morning. He does a dream feed at 6-7 am. My husband likes to feed him before work. He sleeps at 10 pm and takes 4 -5 naps during the day. This is working for us now. I know it's a bit different then most babies sleeping schedules but I am not complaining. Our son cosleeps with us.

Wait, are you OP (last poster)? If so, then yes you ARE complaining. Right? Wasn't your first post a...complaint?