Daily parenting achievements/goals- what would yours be?

[Theresacure]

I am about to return to work part-time, on less hours and less pay prior to children. I find my days at home mundane, unrewarding and monotonous. I feel quite sad in some ways that I won't be working more as it isn't financially viable due to nursery costs.

I recently visited a counsellor who helped me to change my perception of my role at home and I have been asked to come up with a list of achievements/successes or goals to aim for when I'm at home with young DCs.

What would be on your list?

Find somewhere you enjoy. I absolutely love a local country park to me and often take my boys.

Sorry, I have no goals. Mostly to keep myself alive and my boys alive and all of us well

Alive, fed and smiling. If it gets to bedtime and they are happy, I'm happy.

Maybe make a list of all the places you want to take your children (all the local parks, play areas, museums etc) and cross off each one as you go? You could rate them with a score out of 5, so you know which are worth a revisit. You could even contribute reviews to websites and FB, especially any local Mums Groups you have - that way your experiences will benefit others.

I have a four month old , my current goals are to encourage crawling with ample tummy time and praise.

Time sitting to stregthen muscles ( he can sit with balancing help ) turn it into a game

Keep him fed , and food down ( terrible
Reflux )

And win at bay ( my god the screams from wind )

For me:- to have sleep 💤 to some degree so I am better at the above.

To try and keep house semi clean and washing semi on top of ( reflux means many outfit changes for us both )

To visit great grandparents and grandparents / cousins have time for them with baby as when I go back to work in 6 months I won’t have a lot of time to
Put around them

To have home cooked meal ready

Oh and I garden now when I can squeeze it in at naps / after cleaning

It’s all basic but with a 4 month old it’s a big enough list for now x x

My aim, before I was pregnant and not just surviving, was every day to get out, do mark making, story books and do as little housework as possible while keeping the house looking good (TOMM).

Ok, this is a teenage one, but mine eats crap; he managed three of his five a day today because I made strawberry and banana smoothie and put buttered peas on his plate, which he ate.
With smaller ones, it’s an achievement to keep body and soul together. Try to have a nice time, treat yourself to a nap when they nap, all watch “Spongebob” (or whatever kids telly you like) and laugh together. With little ones, it’s the simple things. Give them a bubble bath in the day just because you can, remember, you have that freedom with them during the day and you don’t have to do set things at set times.

Encourage independent play. Word and number development and tell us when hungry,theist and tired 20 months old.

Alive at the end if the day and happyish. I'd say happy, but she isn't right now because I looked at her sock wrong.

It was a good day tho.

At dinner we all have a routine where we sit around the table and share our 'best bit' - and if we want to, our worst. It's an interesting insight into the DCs lives, but also often helps you see how you have made a difference - like today my DS3 proudly told his brothers how he got to touch a worm, it was such a small moment but it made me happy to have taken the time to include him in the gardening and be patient when he wanted to learn more about the worms and insects. It also helps you see what might make the biggest impact for them.

Beyond that, my goals are:

• Nutritious and filling breakfast for all of us (nothing fancy, but maybe porridge / Greek yghurt and fruit / hard boiled eggs with toast)
• Doing reading and spellings with DS 1 and 2
• Reading books to DS3 and 4
• 15 minutes one on one time with each dc (I am not always getting there on this one! But at least a few times a week is good)
• Making time to see friends at least once a week, with/without dcs

@YourSarcasmlsDripping you made me chuckle... that poor sock!!
😂😂

Clean house, uninterrupted shower, at least one trip outside in the fresh air and naps.

Oh and to have made it through the day without eating any chocolate.

I have simple goals 😂

How old is your kid?

MIne are 4 and 5 yrs, our aims at the weekend are play outside, kids play alone/together, borad games, some learning books (reading/writing/maths), tidy a part of the house, kids do a job (feed dogs/pigs, help with housework etc), baths, swimming and generally try to have some fun together.

How old are your DC?

I'd say on a daily basis:
Have fun and laugh with the children, connect with them
Try to have some one-on-one time
Reading to or with them

On days I'm not at work I'd be happy with:
Do something they really want to do (which usually I don't) even just for 10 minutes
Go outside, maybe see friends
Get them to contribute to the house (e.g. baking, tidying, helping with washing, wiping etc) or teach/show them something new

How old are your kids?

My daily goals for the kids are:

• serve them 5+ fruit and veg a day (not bothered if it's eaten)
• get them three hours of exercise
• get out to a playgroup or something sociable
• go for a walk
• read together

Longer term goals are mostly to teach them stuff: shapes, colours, drawing, reading, numbers, jumping, kicking a ball, dancing, swimming, riding a bike, how to go down the stairs and how to cook, bake and clean. I think that enjoying teaching these things is key to my enjoying my time at home.

For me:

• shower
• meals
• sleep
• an hour to myself if I'm lucky

Hmm, maybe I should make more ambitious goals for myself now they're not babies any more.

What kind of goals were you thinking of?

Have never thought about it that way before but totally makes sense, I like the 'goals' thing. Mine would be:
Serve reasonably balanced mostly fresh meals (don't have to be fancy just not too unhealthy)
Ensure toddler doesn't have too much screen time (use it strategically when need to get something done)
Get out and about, barring illness etc, varying from a trip to the local park/cafe/shops to today we went to the theatre, or to visit friends
Make sure to spend time talking to both my baby and toddler, answering the toddler's many many questions
At the end of the day think back to some moments I was pleased with/proud of me and/or the kids
Everything else can wait a bit! I'm on mat leave at the moment which can feel like a slog, especially with a bottle refusing baby meaning I don't get a lot of time to myself. Reminding myself of the good things makes it feel worthwhile on the hard days!

There are some brilliant ideas on here (I tend to be of the ‘just keep everyone alive’ camp, and like you feel more productive or fulfilled at work).
Depending on how much the weather bothers you, I’ve seen a ‘150 Hours Outside’ project going about - it works out at 30’ a day for a year, I think. It’s meant as a gateway to outdoor learning but I feel even at its most basic it’s great merely for everyone’s physical and mental health, and if you do return to FT work the chance to do that with your family lessens.

Thankyou for so many great ideas:)

I've spent a few days reflecting on them and trying to come up with my own. At first I started with the usual "keep everyone fed and alive" goals, but I just felt so uninspired and a bit... bleurgh. Not that I don't value these goals at all, just that I need a bit of oomph in my week somehow... do you ever feel the same?
So I've come up with (along with obvs keeping us all alive):

-Try a new BLW recipe each week and save enough for the freezer. (I love cooking)
-Dress them well. (I always feel better when the kids are well turned out, but so easy to just choose the same shabby outfit I find.)
-Have a weekly playdate with friends
-Go to a regular group
-Get on the floor with the kids and play on days where we're at home a lot.
-Find opportunity for 1:1 time with each child for atleast 15 minutes everyday.
-Get out for atleast 30 mins a day.

What do you think? They become a bit monotonous towards the end. Any more sparkly ones to add to the list?

Try something new each week. A new group, even if you're not sure you'll like it, a new playground a bit further away, a new activity (first class free, in case they hate it) - generally something to stir you out of your rut.

I've done some very random stuff and met some great people. I never would have expected a 3 year old to enjoy ice skating, but he's pretty damn good now (4).