Have you noticed how forgetful you’ve become are after turning into a mom? I know I have.
Honestly, I don’t know how these moms you see on Instagram and Pinterest keep it together and manage motherhood so beautifully. I’m far from being the perfect mom, but I’ve learnt some methods to help me get through each day, which I hope will also help new moms out there.
Incorporate chores into daily routines
It’s not just babies who benefit from routine; parents too need a routine to get through most days. Because really, routines allow you to function even when you’re running on little sleep.
I try and incorporate tiny chores in between my daily routine. For example, after the baby’s bath, my hands are full from dragging him out. After which, I always forget to drain the water from his bathtub. So, what I do is bathe him in my own bathroom so that when it’s my turn to shower, the bathtub is the first thing I see. So I am forced to remember to drain it and give it a quick scrub before I start showering.
Checklists! Checklists! Checklists!
Traveling with a child used to mean packing everything but the kitchen sink. To avoid forgetting things, I have a checklist for my son’s things and I keep it in his travel bag. Here’s a lifehack: Laminate the checklist so that you can easily tick each item off the list using a whiteboard marker and reuse it for another trip.
The travel checklist has helped so much that I actually made one for my household inventory because I cannot for the life of me remember how many more toilet rolls are left in my storeroom.
Organisation
I’ve always been a really messy person but that’s because I didn’t have much possessions. But with a kid, I have to deal with a long list of items just for a diaper change, so I find it so much easier to keep things organised. Firstly, it helps reduces my time thinking about what I need each time I change a diaper. And I don’t have to waste more time searching high and low for the nappy rash cream. In which time, my son would’ve squirmed out of my grasp and be running around the house pants-less with a cheeky grin on his face.
Set a timer
Have you ever burnt food because your newfound mommy brain forgot you left the stove on? I have. There were times where I think I’ll be free to watch my pot of porridge cooking while the baby’s asleep and suddenly he wakes up crying, I run off and totally forget about the kitchen. So dangerous, I know! I learnt this new trick recently from my aunt which is to set a timer for myself once I place the pot on the stove. That way, even though I’m distracted, the timer screams at me to switch off the stove.
Invest in fuss-free products
It helps to invest in products that don’t require monitoring like automatic steamers and bottle sterilizers that switch off once a job is completed. Crockpots are also helpful as it allows you to cook soups and stews while you’re busy at work.
Set up a family command center
Lastly, a family command center is where you place all family-related information like emergency contact numbers and a calendar of everyone’s activities. With each family member having different commitments throughout the week, it helps to have a central location that everyone can refer to. I also update my grocery list at the command center so that if anyone of us decides to go to the store, we can easily check the list before heading out.
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Wei Yenn was a PR Consultant before trading it for a career in education. A mother to a music-loving toddler, her most influential teacher is her son.
Image Credit: Pretty Handy Girl, iStockPhoto & Popsugarmoms.
