By Amanda D
I am a Mormon wife and mother and this is a typical day in my life:
I have three school-aged children so my day starts before the sun rises at this time of year. I get up at 6:15 and start getting kids up and ready for school. I try to serve them a hot breakfast on school days. Some days this is well received and other days they wish they were having cold cereal. Most mornings it seems like I have to prod my daughter to take each bite.
After breakfast, I pester the kids until their teeth are brushed, their faces are washed, their backpacks are ready and their shoes are on. Then they are off to the bus and I take a little while to check my email and read a few blogs. I also try to clean up the breakfast mess.
Next up, my kindergartener wants me to play with him. Lately, we play Legos or cars or we read stories and sometimes we watch TV together. I try to get a workout in a few times a week so my son goes to the gym with me and plays in the daycare. Afterwards, I rush home for a quick shower and then we eat lunch together. After lunch, I get him ready for school and we walk to his bus stop together.
Once he is on his way, I get a few hours to myself. I try to not waste this time, but I admit that I sometimes take a nap or watch a movie. I do laundry, vacuum, and do dishes during this time. I also spend some time writing or scrapbooking or surfing the ‘net. I prepare for this week’s Cub Scout den meeting, and I plan what we are going to have for dinner. I also run errands during this time – the library, the bank, grocery shopping, etc.
Before long, the kids are home from school and we have a snack. Sometimes they rush off to play with friends, or they want turns on the computer. Sometimes we jump right into homework and sometimes we watch TV together. Some days I feel like I have spent the whole afternoon refereeing one fight after another.
At our house, it is a priority for us to eat dinner together so every night, when my husband is done working, we gather around the table for a family prayer and a meal. After dinner, we finish homework, run the kid’s through the tub, go to soccer practice, read books, and sometimes play cards. Once the kids are in bed, my husband and I watch TV together or read. Sometimes we play board games, but that’s not often enough.
I always end the day with reading.
Each week, I try to include a night of Family Home Evening. We don’t always get to it though. We try to end each day with a prayer, but some nights we forget. And that’s okay. We just keep trying to do better.
This is my life as a stay-at-home mother. It’s different from other women, but similar in ways too. Some women work outside the house, some don’t. Some women have several children and some have none. I think that my life is a lot like the lives of my neighbors, meaning that I don’t think my daily life is much different because I am a Mormon woman. We’re all doing the best we can, looking forward with hope and trying our hardest.
