Hey, mama.

How are you? No, really, how are you? 

Our world is facing uncertainty around every corner right now. While that can easily feel overwhelming, we want to encourage you in your motherhood, even in this season. 

If you are one of the many parents who are homebound with your kid(s) right now, how can you make the most of this time without feeling like you have to do all the things? 

The key is to start slow and remember that none of us have experienced anything like this before! Understand that it will take some time to find a new rhythm for your family dynamic.

Where to start? 

• Stay positive for you and your kids. They will reflect back what they see and hear from the adults in their lives. Be their calm. 

• Cultivate a new sense of normalcy. Your days probably won’t look like they used to and that’s okay. You have the freedom to decide what your days will look like. 

• Parent from your personality. Meaning, if you love schedules and organization, you will probably thrive most with a daily routine in place and some kid crafts or activities planned. On the contrary, if you are more free-spirited, then you need to leave lots of room for spontaneity and changing things up from day to day. Basically - go about your days in the way that works best for YOU. 

• Regardless of your personality, though, creating a basic outline of your days will help you and your child(ren) know what to expect. Don’t worry about setting specific times, but instead think through the order of things you would like to accomplish. When is the best time of day for school work? Outdoor play time before or after nap? If you’re also working from home during this time, it would be helpful to predetermine the best pocket of the day for you to focus on your work. 

Other helpful hints....

Go for a joy ride! You don’t have to get out of the car to enjoy a ride around the neighborhood! If you want, you can even create a scavenger hunt for your kids to spy while you drive! 

Get outside whenever possible. Non-stop rain in the forecast? Time to throw on raincoats and rainboots and let them tromp through the puddles in the front yard. The outdoors will be your change of scenery, and break up your day a bit. 

Go for a long walk. If you don’t live in a walkable place, drive to some trails or head to a vacant parking lot and bring along the bikes and scooters. 

Stay connected to your mom friends. This is VITAL! Whether it’s asking questions, venting, encouraging, or sharing joys & burdens (or maybe just hysterical GIFs)…moms need other moms. You can use voice messaging (Voxer app), video messaging (Marco Polo), Facetime, and good old fashioned texting to keep in touch. You can even help your kids stay connected with their friends through technology. 

Create a Quarantine Bucket List that your whole family contributes to making. This will give your family focus and something to look forward to. Write your bucket list items on a big piece of paper and hang it somewhere in your home. Let the kids check off each item as you complete it! (*Hint: Simple is sweet! Some simple ideas include: making indoor smores, a movie night, skipping to the mailbox, and building a plastic cup building).

Take advantage of free resources being offered right now. TheEveryMom compiled a great list, click here! 

Find an uplifting mantra, scripture, or quote that you can refer back to when things get overwhelming. Write it down and post it in the middle of your home for inspiration. 

Most importantly, remember...

Celebrate the victories and the joys along the way, and forget the rest. There’s a major learning curve here! Be flexible...it’s okay for each to look and feel different.

Moms know: we can do hard things. This is just one more thing to add to the list. Amiright?!