Being a stay-at-home parent is an amazing blessing, one that I am very grateful for.  Having the opportunity to interact every day with your children, being their primary caretaker, being a part of their learning and their play all day long is wonderful.  However, being a stay-at-home parent is not without its challenges and frustrations.  Parents who leave a regular 9-5 job to stay home and raise their children quickly find out that they have turned in that 9-5 gig for a 24/7 gig.  It can be exhausting, it can be frustrating, it can be monotonous.

The trick to turning your stay-at-home parenting gig into a successful experience that leaves you feeling fulfilled is to take a proactive role in making sure you have plenty to do, you are doing things that both you and  your children enjoy and you are staying connected with other adults.  Here are a few tips on helping you stay physically and mentally healthy in your role as a stay-at-home parent:

• Take the time to connect with other stay-at-home parents.  Join a playgroup where your child will get the chance to interact with other children and you will get the change to meet and interact with other stay-at-home parents.  Or you could join an adults-only support group for stay-at-home parents.

• Schedule/structure your day.  Set up a regular schedule.  Structure your day so you feel like you are accomplishing things and have some sort of plan.  Many parents find this particularly helpful when first making the transition from the workforce to staying home.

• Get out of the house.  Being a stay-at-home parent doesn’t mean that you actually have to stay home all the time!!  Don’t underestimate the importance of a little change in scenery.  Go for a walk, go to the park, go to the mall, hit up the local library, anything to get you and the kids out of the house and enjoying a little adventure.

• Make time for yourself.  Being in a stay-at-home parent often means you are on the go all the time, there are no breaks, no end to your work day (or work week for that matter).  Be sure to take the time do the things you enjoy, keep up with your hobbies, visit with friends, etc.

• Be proud of the important role you play.  When you get bored, or frustrated, or irritated remember the importance of the role you play, what a blessing it is to get to stay home with your kids and watch them grow up.

Being a stay-at-home parent is fun, amazing, great, every wonderful adjective you can think of, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have your moments where you question your sanity, feel frustrated, out of touch, alone.  Embracing your role, making time for yourself and making sure you are being active and involved will all help you get through those rough days.

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to stay home with my daughter and be able to play a very active role in her upbringing.  I wouldn’t trade it for the world.  When I’m feeling isolated, frustrated or irritated the best thing I have found to help me get through the day is to get out of the house.  I do something special with her like go to a new park, go to the zoo, visit with other stay-at-home mom friends or schedule a lunch date with my working friends.

What do you do as a stay-at-home parent to keep things flowing smoothly and to keep frustration and isolation at bay?