Priorities

I've had a few people ask questions lately about how I manage everything- being pregnant, homeschooling, a 9 month old, cleaning, cooking, crafting, etc. The answer, for me, is all in having your priorities in check. I've heard people, myself included, often say that they need more hours in the day, but in reality that is something that we cannot change. However, what we can change, is how we use those few hours we're given.

When I started consciously prioritizing my life, it became obvious to me how many truly unimportant things I do in my day to day life, and how many important things I had been letting slide. Now, it's important to remember that not everyone's priorities will be the same as yours, nor will yours be the same as mine. My priorities as a Christian come first, so daily prayer and studying my Bible are very important priorities to me.

Next comes my responsibility and priority as a mother, I need to care for and spend time with each of my children daily. Even though many of us spend day in and day out with our children, it does not necessarily mean that we're making them a priority. I try to spend some undivided time with each of them everyday, be it five minutes while the other is napping, or playing, or using the bathroom for that matter! Just time to talk with each of them individually. I also spend a lot of "group time" with them, we play some sort of game almost everyday, inside or out, and we really love our "nature walks". Taking time to read and pray with them is also very important to me, and is a daily priority as well.

Then my responsibility to my hubby. I need to be there to support him, to love him, and to spend time with him. We have "penciled in" a few minutes to have coffee together each day, with no interruptions (unless there's a kid emergency). We also try to have a date night every week, sometimes it's hard because he works shift work, but it's something that it very important to us.

Another big one is my responsibility as my children's teacher. We have decided to homeschool, and there is a lot involved in that commitment. I don't only sit down and do "book work" with them, I have to plan, and plan, and plan. I have to organize lesson plans, crafts, activities, games, and field trips. I also have to try and make all of this fun for my littles, not only an easy task!

Next, my responsibility to my household. Not only does this include the obvious- cleaning and cooking- for me, it also includes frugality. This is what makes it possible for me to be a stay at home mom. Clipping coupons, watching sales, DIY-ing, and making do have become a fun challenge for me, not just a mundane chore. To me, if I save my family $1000/month, then that is the same as me earning $1000/month, but without my ever having to leave the house!

My final priority is to myself. I learned when my oldest was just a baby that I'm a much more patient, calm, and loving Mom if I'm taken care of myself. I need my quiet time, to unwind at the end of the day, and to prepare at the beginning of it.


I've learned that in order to let these things come first, I'm going to have to let other things slide. Mostly little things, for example, I used to vacuum every second day, but with my "cut backs" it's now only twice a week. *gasp!* I know, filthy! I also had to cut back my online time, I'm still here, just not as often as I once was. But honestly, I've barely noticed these "sacrifices", because they aren't priorities. And the rewards I've noticed since "reorganizing" have vastly outweighed any drawbacks.