Being the CEO of your Household

Being a Stay at Home mom is definetly not an easy job! One thing that I find extremely helpful to stay happy as a Stay at Home mom is to view my stay at home status as a profession. The word profession is defined as a job that has duties and results in a payment or a return of some kind. Technically, if I wasn't at home with our daughter, we would be paying for childcare so in a way, I am being reimbursed in the big picture. Not only that, but my reimbursement is watching my daughter smile, give hugs, and learn new things.

When I see my stay at home mom role as a job, I am better able to handle stressors and stay professional. I know that the word professional sounds weird but it is really important to not take things personally and stay focused on the responsibilities at hand. As much as I love being able to give my daughter hugs and kisses all the time (and I do!) it's nice to also step away and just do my job!


Next, any CEO of a successful company will tell you that organization is very important. Your home is no different and needs to have systems, goals, and rewards.

Having goals as a stay at home mom can help you to stay focused.

Having a schedule is SOOOOO important. My schedule is pretty flexible but I definitely prioritize eating and sleeping times for the kiddos. Having a schedule is very important for helping everyone understand what is expected of them and when and even help us to stay focused. Children respond very well to routine and time frames.

Create a support system for yourself.

This is SOOOO important and is so often overlooked! In any job setting, people have mentors, supervisors, and coworkers...you should too! Set yourself up with a friend that you respect and admire and make you set up times to talk to them about issues and struggles or just listen as they go through the same things you do. I am really big on scheduling (on the calendar) 'moms night out' or dinners with a friend at LEAST once every 2 weeks...this can really be a sanity saver!

Take a Personal Day

If you work hard during the day, accomplishing your goals, and keeping a happy healthy home then you should have no guilt about taking a day to yourself. Every job as personal days and you should too!

Get out of your sweatpants.

Every office has a dress code to make people appear and feel professional. There's the old saying that you should "dress the part" if you want to succeed at something. Sometimes it's the little things that can help you feel more important and give you motivation throughout your day. Get out of your sweatpants and put on something that makes you feel like you look nice and it might be enough to help you feel good about yourself when you walk past the morror. (by that I mean jeans and a sweater-let's be real!)

Picture yourself as the person you want to become. If being a stay at home mom is something you truly want, take the time to create the role you wish to attain and set yourself up with all the tools you need to make it happen!

Enjoy the Payment for a Job Well Done

In our society, it's somewhat standard that the harder you work (or the better your ideas are) the better you get paid for what you do in your career. Well, not so in the 'stay at home mom' field. If you are a stay at home mom, you still need payment for what you do ,but don't expect large amounts of cash or balloons that say, "thank you" after a trying day.

We all know how much work it takes to be a mom...especially a good mom! There are some days when you work so hard and everything seems to be taken for granted. At times, I feel like a robot, like I do the same routine, make the same corrections, and play the same games every single day. I work my tail off and sometimes I wonder, where's the payoff??

Until I remember that children thank their parents with love. Come to think of it, this is the best form of payment any job could offer, right? The sparkle in my daughter's eye, the smile she gives me, the way she says "uppy" when she wants me to hold her are all priceless rewards in my life. These are all the wonderful things I sometimes take for granted in my daily routine until I stop and remember to enjoy the payment for a job well done.

Somedays it would be really nice to hear, "Gee mom, thanks so much for having patience with me when I'm being really difficult." or "Hey Mom, thanks for going to the grocery store and cooking us these wonderful meals." The truth is, I may never hear these words. But today I will appreciate the love that my daughter gives me and remember that all my hard work is reflected in her joy and well being.

Letting Go of the Reigns!

Last Friday rolled around and my husband says to me, "Hunny, we have nothing planned for this weekend, right?" I responded by saying, "Nothing? We never have nothing planned!"

I admit it, I am a schedule nazi and could not live without my schedule or to do list. Just like any mother, my to do list never ends and I often feel guilty when I am just relaxing or even having an unplanned day! There is just TOOO much to be done (and I only have 1 child!).



Today I managed to enjoy a day with my family even though I had no list, schedule or agenda. Many times throughout the day, I felt lost and unproductive but I reminded myself that spending quality time with the family is in fact productive. Also, I don't have to be in charge all the time!



So, why do i do that to myself so often? Why do I go through my day feeling like everything i am doing (even if it's relaxing) needs to be productive? Why can't I just enjoy the moments like I preach about so often?



As a stay at home mom, my job often overlaps with my home life. I feel like I am a good stay at home mom because I often view it as a job and I take my job description seriously. But where does it begin and where does it end? Because I view my weekdays as work (and I am the CEO!) it's hard for me to adjust when the hubby comes home and gives his ideas for discipline, organization, or pretty much anything else! At times I feel like saying, "Don't tell me how to do my job! I am the CEO of this freakin' house!!" It can be quite a challenge to juggle the roles. Perhaps it would be easier if I installed a time clock at the front door? No, I would have to attach it to my hip?!



What I am trying to say is that I think I learned an important lesson this weekend! It can feel good to give up control and allow my hubby to take the lead! As hard as it is to let go of the reigns, the whole family benefits if I step back at times and just enjoy the moments! Having the ability to know when to step back and when to take the reigns can be challenging but not impossible.



Well, every day in motherhood is a learning experience! Hopefully, I can get better at going with the flow and enjoying a day when it takes a path in a direction I didn't intend! I still think planning is a good thing, but perhaps I need to accept the fact that I'm not the only one in this house with a plan!