Whether you live rent or own an apartment in Northridge or live in luxury apartments in LA or anywhere else for that matter, it’s often difficult to live simply when you’re part of a young family just starting out with small children. It can be really complicated to live with little ones since they always seem to make a mess; they play sports and join clubs after school, have chores to do which you need to supervise, go to playdates, need potty training and chauffeuring around, and so much more. Many parents often feel completely overwhelmed.
To help you effectively handle it all, we’ve got three great tips on Social Emotional Learning Activities to help you live a simple life with your kids.
- Develop Routines and Stick to Them
Your life will feel like complete chaos if you’re being tugged in one direction after another without any rhyme or reason or plan in place. This chaotic environment will make you feel like you’re going mad sometimes and it really isn’t healthy for you, your spouse, or your children.
So set up weekly routines, daily routines, and routines in the morning and nighttime before the kids go to bed. With these routines in place, you and your little ones will have a plan to follow and know exactly when it’s time to eat dinner, do their chores, complete their homework, wash up for bed, change into their pajamas, and much more.
Parents also need to develop routines and stick to them as well. This is just as important for them as it is for the children. So, set up schedules to complete your housekeeping duties, leave yourself time to exercise, make time for grocery shopping and other errands, give yourself time with your spouse, time by yourself, and any other routine that makes perfect sense to your life.
2. Make Family Time a Scheduled Priority
Life will continue to be hectic, stressful, and difficult if you fail to schedule downtime with your family. Make an effort to set up a night to sit down in front of the TV with the kids and enjoy a movie while drinking chocolate milk and eating homemade popcorn. Or if you prefer, set up a board game night for the family to enjoy on the weekend.
Sometimes you may prefer to indulge in other relaxing activities with the kids. Not only are they fun, but they can also be educational as well. So if you’re in the mood, set up a night where you sit down and read with the kids, or bake cookies together, or do any other family-friendly activity as a group.
Most important of all, it’s necessary to schedule family time for all to enjoy. Make it a regular priority and a big part of your week. Don’t hesitate to go all out and make these family moments together truly exciting, engaging, and extra special for all involved.
- Always Plan Ahead
For most families, mornings make up the most hectic time of the day. While it’s hard to completely dampen the craziness, it’s certainly possible to make life less chaotic by planning ahead.
Do you typically make school lunches in the morning before your kids head out the door? Try preparing them at night instead so life is less frantic in the a.m. Or create a routine and look over your children’s homework at night and check the calendar to see if they have any special activities planned for the next day. If so, add it to your to-do list for the next day and put aside special clothes like uniforms and sneakers if they’re needed so they’ll be ready to bring to school the next morning.
Conclusion
Simple living for young families with kids may seem like an impossible dream. But if you use our tips and incorporate these practices into your daily life, you’ll have no trouble making your days less hectic while finding art in the ebb and flow of daily life.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind