This week we are going to shift gears in honor of Mother’s Day. We are giving some practical tips for moms that we have used throughout our parenting journey. These tips have an OT perspective because, well, you cannot take the OT out of the mama once it is ingrained. 

The first tip that helps us go from surviving to thriving (or at least feel a balance) is to know that a rut is and should be just that…a bump in the road. We have each fallen into so many ruts whether it be struggling to find work/life balance, putting everything before our physical and mental well being, or just feeling in a slump. Ruts can last days, weeks, or a couple months…a season. It is not meant to be a new normal, but oftentimes pulling yourself out feels impossible. Having some “go to” strategies to get back on track are so important. 

Favorite Practical Tips

1. Get yourself an old school paper planner that keeps you organized. Make a realistic to-do list for your week. Check in daily and make the best use of your time…because all moms know that time truly is a thief. It helps so much to have a plan for the day to make the most of your time and help mom-brain (it really is a thing) remember to do all of the things.
2. Again, the old school planner comes in for the save. This allows us to have our to-do lists, appointments, and meal plan all in one spot. Meal plan a week in advance. Check the calendar and plan around those busy evenings so you aren’t running for fast food. Now, fast food and restaurants can save you in a crunch or in a short term rut, but get out of that habit quickly. Use it to survive, then pull yourself out of the pitfall before it becomes the norm instead of the occasional save in a pinch. Meal planning saves money, offers a more well-balanced diet, allows for more family dinners together, and keeps you on track for busy weeks.
3. Focus on quality over quantity when it comes to time with your kids. There will be seasons when you are with them nonstop and feel like your time is not quality.  On the contrary, there are seasons when you feel like you barely see them and the time you do is just a logistic check in. No matter what season, take a breath and squeeze in that quality time. You and your child will both feel better with it.
4. Make a list of things you do that take care of YOU, so you can be the best for yourself and them. Here are a few small things that work for us: get our steps in every day, yoga, spending time with our kids just relaxing or exploring a new activity, having a well balanced diet and sufficient water intake, getting outside, taking time for our middle aged skin, and talking to other adults! 
5. Build a village! Put yourself out there with other moms in the same season. There is not a day that goes by that we do not thank our lucky stars for the family and friend support that show up for us. This may mean joining mommy and baby groups, volunteering at your child’s school, or playing a role in the activities they are involved in. The time investment is so worth it to grow your village and make more lifelong friends to support you and you support them along the parenting journey.
6. Just kidding…more tips to come on our social media. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/conquertherapyservicesllc  and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/conquertherapy/  to see quick visuals on how we do all the above every week to keep our families operating smoothly. We will also give suggestions on ways to start some of these helpful tips and tricks and make them become a habit.