Ten ways stay at home parents cope with stress

1. Establish a daily routine and stick to it.
Lounging around in PJs at noon, or not taking the time to shower and dress before dinnertime might be OK now and then. On a regular basis, it can become disorienting. Taking a few minutes each day to get yourself organized, clean up and put on a fresh outfit. These simple activities will trigger your body and mind to become more alert and active. A bedtime routine then signals your brain and body that the day is over and it's time for rest. We all know what happens when infants lose track of day and night. While adults can behave appropriately, the body still feels the discord, and this increases your stress levels.

2. Schedule, schedule, schedule/Prepare for the worst
Just because a stay-at-home parent does not go to an office, it does not mean they are not working. In fact, most stay-at-home parents who have left high power careers report that their former jobs did not feel as stressful as at-home parenting. In the same way that effective and efficient planning makes a job less stressful and more enjoyable, pre-planning household responsibilities and family activities makes life more effortless. Begin with a monthly calendar, assign each family member a color and record all school, work and extracurricular events. You will quickly see when conflicts arise and have more time to avoid having to take the dog to the groomer at the exact same time as Susie's dentist appointment.
Expect complications. Spending just a few minutes thinking ahead about potential problems is the best way to avoid or ease the impact of the unexpected. Load the car with extra supplies-paper towels, wipes, diapers, outfit, gym shoes, umbrella, towel. In an emergency, you'll have some basic needs at your fingertips. Make sure you have insurance cards and auto club cards in your wallet, or better yet, keep copies in the glove box of the car. Pre-load your diaper bag at night. This saves time and allows the family to get out the door more smoothly.

3. Build in some fun.
Get out of the house. Plan family activities you can do with your kids. For parents who do not work in an office, take advantage of free museum days during the weekdays. Go to the park if the weather is good. Plan to meet other parents at a park or indoor playground on a regular basis. Many movie theaters now offer "Movie Moms" days, where children are welcome to the 10am or 11am showing of a newly released film. You can take the kids with you without worrying if they will be disturbing anyone-since everyone there is a parent. Ample stroller parking is available! It's a great way to meet other parents too.

4. Divide and conquer housework.
Assign each family member a responsibility that is age appropriate. My five year old loves her job as "Toilet Paper Monitor", about twice a week, I load her arms up with rolls of toilet tissue and we go around the house distributing extra rolls so we don't run out at an inopportune moment. Every Tuesday night is "Garbage Safari" night at our house, since Wednesday morning is trash pick-up. Some great activities for the safari would be a "Garbage Race“ to see who can collect garbage the fastest. While teaching you children increasing responsibility and self-care skills, you also reduce your workload. That leaves some more time for enjoyable activities. Sharing responsibility also helps everyone to feel like part of the "team". When parents feel more respect for all the hard work they do, it makes it easier and more fulfilling to be an at-home parent.

5. Find a creative outlet
Explore different ways to express yourself. Creative thinking frees you to think about something other than the needs of your family. Whatever form of artistic expression you chose, taking some time for yourself will allow you to see things in better perspective. Exercising your creativity also helps you to come up with unique solutions to everyday issues.

6. Take care of yourself
The best way to make sure you can take care of you family is by making sure you are feeling your best. When parent are feeling rested and refreshed, children feel safe and nurtured. So make sure to stick to a reasonable and consistent exercise plan. It’s easier of you plan to meet other parents for classes or a scheduled workout at the gym, or even a brisk walk . If you child is in a stroller, take advantage and stroll everywhere you can. Kids love to go along for bicycle rides. For those under 18 months, a rear mounted bicycle carrier is great. Trailer type carriers are wonderful for two, or if you need to carry groceries or equipment. In this way, you can combine some exercise with a fun activity for your children. While most parents would never feed their children a steady diet of junk food, many parents eat just that. As the old saying goes, “Garbage in, garbage out”. Make sure to feed yourself healthy nutritious meals. You’ll feel better, but most importantly you’ll teach your children good eating habits by example.

7. Nurture your adult friendships.
Even id all you ever talk about is the kids, make sure to spend time with people your own age! One group of moms meets one Sunday a month at a newly released movie. Take a class. Get together for a parents night out. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy-one of my favorite memories was a mom’s potluck get together.

8. Savor the memories.
Being as parent is a ver y long roller coaster ride. Along with really great moments, there are incredibly bad times. For every perfect report card brought home, there is a equally devastating development. By preserving visual memories though still photography or video tape you can have a reminder of your family history. Looking at photos and videos of birthday parties, vacations and happy moments can’t help but make you feel good. It’s why you chose to stay home.

9. Your significant other comes first.
Just because you are a parent, does not mean you are not part of a romantic relationship. Don’t forget, the relationship is the foundation of the family. By putting time and effort into your primary relationship, your partner feels cherished and valued. It’s crucial to remain a vital fulfilled adult. These feeling of being loved and valued spill over into daily life and help to insulate you when things are really hectic.

10. Give yourself a time-out.
We never hesitate to give time-outs to overstimulated, overtired cranky kids. And they work. So if you are feeling overwhelmed, on the verge of yelling or feeling the urge to administer a spank, give yourself a time out. Announce to the family that you are having a hard time controlling yourself and give yourself a “time out”. Take fifteen minutes to yourself. Believe me, your kids will be shell shocked. They will get the message loud and clear. You will probably only need to do this once or twice.

Being a stay-at-home parent is both rewarding and exhausting. Hopefully some of these tips will enable you to reduce your stress and gain more enjoyment from parenting. As your children experience a less stressful environment, they are able to internalize that and begin behave more calmly also.