8 facts and 8 solutions!

• Clothes and laundry- Washing is piled up in the laundry basket at all times and then there is the inevitable folding and sorting of aired out clothes. Do yourself a favour and get the nippers folding and give them each a laundry basket for clean clothes to be put away by them, it may only be a small help but every minute counts!
• Uncomfortable shoes- A comfortable pair of shoes is imperative when running around after kids, so if you find yourself with the odd blister or achy feet you may be wearing the wrong type of shoes. Invest in a pair of walking runners that have bounce in them and are like walking on air, you may even find you can run faster than the kids-result!
• Unhealthy diet- Muffins are yummy and easy to eat on the go in the morning but they are not in any way nutritious. Eating healthy is vital to our wellbeing but parents are so busy it is easy to forget about ourselves. Take a new approach and eat cereal with fruit in the morning to set you up for the day followed by a light lunch and a family dinner. Instead of gulping numerous cups of coffee try drinking more water and fruit smoothies, sure you can still have your caffeine fix but just limit yourself.
• Sleep deprivation- A parent dreams of going to bed and sleeping for a full eight hours without interruptions however in reality (with young kids) it isn’t doable. Between your partner and yourself organise a night on and night off system and resist the urge to take over when you hear your crying babies. Getting a good night’s sleep will leave you feeling rejuvenated and able to be a better parent the next day feeling less stressed and exhausted.
• Naughty kids- We all have bold kiddies from time to time but there is a line and you should never let them take over and play “boss” as this will just allow their behaviour to worsen over time. They will test their boundaries so be ready to limit them and tell them that naughty behaviour will not be tolerated in fact it will be punished.
• Too much housework- It is never ending with hoovering, dusting and cooking however sharing the load will give you some much needed relief. Older kids can help with chores and even younger ones can help sweep, dust and help prepare dinner. Just let them!
• Not enough exercise and no hobbies- It is recommended that everyone gets a minimum of 30minutes exercise a day whether it is a walk or a run. So get out for a stroll with the kids and take trips to the mountains on the weekends, being out in the air really is good for you. Hobbies need to be continued and if you loved doing badminton pre kids you should still do it, being a parent doesn’t need to be the end of your pass times just find the time.
• Long hours at work- There is nothing worse than a long day at work and coming home to continue the work, dragging yourself from washing to cooking tirelessly. If you are in any way able reduce your hours at work or change job if the commute is adding to your hours out of the home. Sometimes you need to bite the bullet and take pay reductions if you need to be at home more, failing that ask for help and make sure you have a good support system while you are working.