Tips for Making Mom Life Easier
As a toddler mom things are a lot different from when I was a new mom to an infant. Some of the tips I have now are similar to newborn tips but some are different! Here is a list of my top tips for making mom life easier!
Tips to making mom life easier…
Tip /1/ Have a routine, I know you have probably heard this a lot but I feel like this one is the most important. This is one of the tips to making mom life easier that I also used when Moose was a baby. As a former Early Childhood Education teacher, I know how important schedules and routines are. They make things easier not only for your child but also for you. Your child will know what to expect next. Moose and I stick to a pretty consistent routine and I always let him know when things are changing or what we will be doing. When things change too much it can be confusing for little ones so letting them know is key. He may only be 1.5 years old but I know he understands what I am saying for the most part. You can check out our routines here!
Snacks
Tip /2/ Plan ahead, I do this for meals and snacks. And when I don’t, I feel all over the place and stressed. For Moose’s snacks, I have a 3 compartment basket on the lowest shelf in our pantry. This way when he tells me he wants a snack he has the freedom to pick what he wants. I make sure I keep this stocked and usually replenish it on the weekends.
I also have reusable pouches. ( You can find the pouches here) I fill these with smoothies, apple sauce, or yogurt. I make these a couple of times a week and keep them in the same place in the fridge so he knows where to get them. For dinner, Melvin and I usually discuss what we are going to cook that week. We do this before we go to the store so we can make a list and have a plan, this also helps save money and prevent waste because we are not buying random things.
If I plan on leaving the house I usually make Moose a lunch box the night before. If it is going to be a short outing I will prepare his bag with easy snacks for him and me!
More on Snacks
Tip /3/ Keep snacks everywhere! For you and your toddler! And keep more than what you think you’ll need! I keep a protein bar, fruit snacks, and a small bag of cheese itz in my glove compartment, strollers, and in both his “diaper bags”. ( We don’t tend to carry diapers anymore). In his bags, I keep even more snacks just because snacks can solve so many problems! And I usually add fresh snacks for the day if I know we are going to be out a while, like fruit, cheese sticks, or the pouches I have made.
Clothes
Tip /4/ Always have extra clothes…for yourself. This is definitely a tip for making mom life easier, trust me! I thought I would only need extra clothes when Moose was a baby. Once he stopped spitting up I wasn’t too worried anymore. Well now that we are in the potty training stage, I like to keep extra leggings and a shirt in case he has an accident on me. I learned this the hard way. The one day I decided not to take his diaper bag he had a HUGE potty accident, I was soaked he was soaked and we were in the middle of a café! Luckily the owner is super nice and understanding about the puddle we stood in! Trust me it’s embarrassing, just always have extra clothes at all times so you can at least change. At a minimum, I keep a cardigan in my car that I can tie around my waist or wear.
Toys
Tip /5/ Rotate your kiddos toys! I have baskets for Moose in his closet with an assortment of toys in each. Each week, sometimes twice a week I rotate these toys out of his closet into his play area. I always keep his bigger toys like his kitchen, nugget comforts, bike, and basketball hoop out for him. This tip saves you money on buying new toys all the time. Moose gets excited because it is like having new toys every few days. This also helps me with clean up. I don’t have a hundred toys out, I have maybe 15! Here is a blog post on our favorite toys!
Creative “Toys”
Tip /6/ Keep old Amazon boxes, Pringle cans, and used gift cards! Why? Well, this one goes with toys! Kids love these things more than their toys, the ones you spent a lot of money on! Moose has a box with all of these things inside of it, he also has a chip clip, an old baby food jar with rice in it (superglued shut), and a smaller box. He will play with these things for hours, it helps build creativity and keeps him busy!
I have used a box to make him a toy also instead of buying one. Melvin had some poker chips, so I took an old Amazon box, cut some long, skinny holes in it, and taped it closed. Moose can slide the poker chips into the holes around the box, this helps with fine motor skills and problem-solving! I realized that tape wasn’t the best option, it was easier to just fold the box flaps into each other so Moose couldn’t open it. Problem-solving for Mom! A tip for making mom life easier, that’s for sure!
Chores… my favorite helper
Tip /7/ Toddlers can help and want to help! Moose helps me with just about everything I do! He helps with all the house chores, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, and the biggest one, cleaning up his play area! He also helps me cook a lot! I feel that these are important life skills and it helps him build a sense of accomplishment. For example, when he helps clean his playroom in the evening we give lots of high fives and fist bumps after each task! He loves this! And honestly, it makes me feel good too, to see how happy he is!’
Bonus Tip:
If you don’t want to end up with a bunch of toys, clothes, books, etc. that your child doesn’t want make an Amazon list. I make Moose an Amazon list for his birthday and Christmas. Then I just share this list with family and friends. Find out how to make a list by clicking here!
This post contains Amazon affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from, at no cost to you. I only recommend products I use myself and all opinions are our own. Thank you for your support!
So these are just a few helpful tips for making mom life easier that I have picked up on this almost 2-year journey. I am sure I will continue to pick up some more tips along the way and have some to add in the future as well!
What are some of your favorite tips? Share them below, whether they are from my list or ones you have picked up, I’d love to hear!
