By Simplifying meals, eliminating some cleaning chores as well as getting help from the spouse and kids can reduce household chores considerably.
For many stay-at-home mums, life is an endless cycle of household chores. No matter how much they do everyday, there is still a lot to do the next day. A highly-stressed mum often suffers from fatigue, frustration and anger – all ill feelings that can affect her relationship with her spouse and kids.
One solution to reduce parent fatigue and stress is to reduce household chores. Here are some tips for stay-at-home mums to cut down workload at home.
Simplify Meals
Many stay-at-home mums make the effort to cook more nutritious meals in various ways. They often feel guilty if they don’t since they are supposed to have more time to plan and prepare meals for the family. But the fact is, young children often don’t know how to appreciate gourmet food that Mum has painstakingly whipped out. Half the time, the specially cooked food will be untouched. Instead, the kids will rummage through the fridge for more familiar food like cheese and milk.
So simplify meals. Meals can still be nutritious without Mum spending two hours preparing them. With less time spent in the kitchen, Mum can do other more pleasurable activities with the kids or take a short rest in between household chores.
Eliminate Some Cleaning Chores
The house doesn’t have to be spotlessly clean. It will still be livable and free of pests if Mum eliminates some cleaning chores. Reduce the number of times the carpet is vacuumed or the floor is mopped, especially if young kids won’t be crawling on them. Similarly, some clothes can be worn a few more times before they are tossed into the laundry basket. The car too doesn’t need to be washed every week.
Get Help from the Spouse
Good communication between spouses is essential to get help from the spouse. So pick up tips to communicate effectively with husbands. Try to request for help instead of demanding it. Men tend to respond better if they are asked to do something politely.
Many men also successfully avoid housework by deliberately messing up a little. If that’s the case, lower your own standard. Don’t be too critical of the way the man carries out his home duties. Let him do things his way. After a while, he’ll realize he needs to help out no matter what.
Assign Kids Household Chores
The ideal situation is having everyone in the family doing a bit of housework, including kids who are old enough for such chores. Don’t see assigning kids household chores as burdening the kids. In fact, parenting experts all agree that giving kids household chores can help build self-esteem, feelings of accomplishments, time management skills and team spirit.
Conclusion
Reducing household chores will allow many stay-at-home mums more time for themselves and their families. To cut down workload at home, try simplifying meals, eliminating some cleaning chores, getting help from the spouse and assigning kids household chores. With Mum less stressed, everyone will definitely feel happier at home.
