Tips & Advices for WFH moms

Hello there.

I'm Maria, work-at-home-mom since 2013 with a degree in cleaning and masters in taichi.

I've gone on twitter once in a while (it's sorta where i go to nowadays, but i try not to go on too often too because there's so many stuff going on sampai sakit jiwa so yeahhh.....) and i realised that so many parents are doing so much during this lockdown time.

Like i've seen parents planning stuff to teach their kids, activities, play plans, cooking plans, self-care plans and so much more.

Here i shall say, please... please don't expect this lockdown time to be some "omg i have so much time!" time.

Just, don't expect too much.

Since the lockdown has been extended to another 2 weeks, i hope parents have some realistic visions & plans on what they can do with their kids, how to manage time working while having kids around, and do house chores too.

It's a lot of work, working from home.

Especially when you have young children.

I can only share my tips and advices for parents with kids 7 years old and younger.

So here goes!

Tips on what to do with your kids to keep them preoccupied:

1. If you have a printer, print out activities for your kids.

Example of printables:

- maze 

- word search

- colouring

- connect the dots (and complete the drawing)

- spot the difference

- spot the hidden drawing

2. If you don't have a printer, you can still google stuff kan. If you want some ideas: 

- mathematical problems. You can write them down on paper.

- how to tell time. Just draw clocks.

- spelling. Fill in the blank(s) like "_pple"

- tell them to draw something. Come up with a theme like "a cat in the garden".

- doodling

3. If you don't have time to do all this hands-on stuff, try download some good apps for kids to play. I suggest no need to play those learning stuff, but play like tetris, puzzles, riddles, etc. I let my kids play Happy Glass, Slices, Sandwich, ZEN.

These games, TO ME, would help them learn problem solving, analytical and quick decision making. Sorry for the loud "TO ME", but i just want to make it clear that i decided it on my own, not because i read some reviews or read studies about it heheee. 

Now, for parents, if you're the mom in the house and you gots no helper.. here are my advices:

1. Pace your chores. I believe you should know already kan. Heheee

2. If you cannot deal with your kids, please taichi to your spouse. Like me, when my kids fight, or don't listen to me, i just taichi kat my husband. I have other things to do and take care of, so i don't want to sakitkan diri with fights etc.

3. When you cook, cook lebih so that you can eat it for lunch/dinner/esok. This way, you can save time on cooking and save money and save groceries. Kalau husband you fussy, suruh dia order je dari foodpanda/grab. At times like these, i really hope you and your spouse can help each other out and not adding burden and resentment. It's a time to be closer and understand each other's role in the house.

4. As for self care, please do it simply. Use marzea products because it's minimal self care products and pakai sikit pun cukup. Hehehe.. And also when you're at home, when you feel restless or bored, instead of binge-watching, try to rekindle with your long lost friend called Hobby. If you like painting, knitting, or whatever, do it. If you don't have a hobby, then my friend, it's time to try whatever you can do at home. Like maybe blogging, play board games, do diy stuff.

5. If you cannot do activities with your kids daily, it's ok. You can't expect yourself to. But it's good to try put some time to do stuff with your kids even if it's just watching tv with them (and give them some reality check once in a while, like "don't be like that character. It is self-victimising instead of just solve the problem. Pastu menyusahkan orang lain. Tak malu" etc), reading books together, or anything for just an hour. 

Just so you know, as a professional work-at-home-mom, the job is very busy and tiring, and it is also very boring and lonely 😅

So, with that said, please rather than trying to cover that boredom & loneliness with "retail therapy" via lazada or shopee etc, please first and foremost, recognise that you're bored and lonely, and then put your shopping apps away, and really REALLY use what you ALREADY have at home, and then perhaps watch "Liziqi" on youtube so that you would be inspired to be self-sufficient, self-sustainable, self-recyclable ehekkkkkk 😝

And because it is tiring too, please don't take out your stress or tiredness to your family. Instead, tell them straight that you are tired. I always tell my kids, "Nadrah, Isaac, ummi dah clean, cook, blablabla, so i am tired right now and i want my rest. If you have any problems, you want anything, tell your dad" and then i lie down in my room.

Sebab kalau i penat and the kids make me angry, i can get into Hulk mode and even i hate to go into that state!

So taichi parents.. taichi.. 😆

I hope this is somewhat helpful.

I pun blog ni simply simply je.