I travel frequently with my tiny humans, often times to amazing places. Case in point: the French Alps. And I know this is going to sound a bit odd or even ungrateful, but the French Alps? It’s my unhappy place. It’s gorgeous, with snow-capped mountains and plenty of hot crepes. But every time I’m there, it’s kind of a cluster. Past examples include blizzards, blocked roads, babies plus teenagers, noise, constantly feeling cold, contagious illness in very small living quarters – you get the idea.
Despite the challenges of traveling with children – even to a “dreamy” location – there are some things that suck. But life’s all about contrast, so there are some solutions, too. And they’re all examples of an umbrella tool I teach called “Mom Systems™.”
Mom Systems are the organizational routines and rituals that help your everyday run more easily.
They’re a practical, non-traditional, unsexy type of self-caring… but they help save your sanity. The five big Mom System categories are: childcare/supervision, sleep, meals, work, and home management. You may have your own in place already, but you just don’t see them as self-care yet.
For example, do you have…
- a “Safe Play Space” system for your baby and/or child (that gives you a break)?
- a “Separate Sleep” system (including sleep spaces, bedtime routine, and wake-up rituals for littles, that gives you more time)?
- go-to breakfast/lunch/dinner systems (that reduce your stress)?
- a work-at-home system (that works for your career growth)?
- a keep-your-house-clean-with-kids system (that primes your environment with more peace)?
Liking the gist of all this? Here’s a little self-care homework for you to give it a try:
- Pay attention to one task that really takes a toll on you (notice when you say something like “I wish I could just figure out ________” or “If I could just find a way to do ___________, life would be so much easier.“
- Share it with someone you trust. Pick a mom in your circle who’s both positive and honest, ask her to share her experience, and listen openly for insights that could apply to your life. (I love the Marco Polo app for this sort of thing, because it’s video-based, low-maintenance, and you have a conversation on your own timetable without scheduling a call – but of course, use your favorite communication tool.)
- Send me an email and tell me about it. I read every email, and will answer the most common concerns and share them here, for every mom to learn. (And if you’ve got every day all figured out, I’d love to hear which systems you already use.)
Good luck identifying your Mom Systems, and how they help you have an amazing, self-caring week!
