About to be a SAHM - help!

[Materwelon]

Hi! My first post.

So I'm currently working 4 days but as of Wednesday I will be "unemployed" - as a SAHM. I have two kids, one Y1 and one starting YrR in September. I decided to give up work as it was workable (in the short to medium term) on DH's income and because even before the last two years, we had some family trauma, so everything has been very hard. Plus the job was draining/stressful rather than invigorating.

However, I've not been off work since maternity leave, and two boys (age 5 and 4) are a very different proposition to babies. DH is great, so on the weekends we're a good team - and I'm not used to flying solo, esp with both, esp for days/weeks at a time! I will have the 4yo 3 days, and obviously both FT in the holidays. Do people have any good tips for how to be a SAHM? I'm worried how things will go without the structure of work. People keep saying I'll get into the swing of it, but, but, but...

TIA!

Have a routine.

Obviously with one in school you will have a basic framework, but I found it really helpful to try and stick to a timetable if sorts with the younger one. So parent/child groups or classes in certain days, trips to the park, library etc. Decide when you want to do your chores and either get them helping or find something that will keep them occupied for short periods to let you get on with stuff.

Your first priority is to ensure that in the long term you won’t be financially compromised! Make sure you still pay into a pension, that your dh has life insurance, and that you have equal access to all income!

Other than that - enjoy looking after your boys!!!
Have a routine that you stick to - in term time maybe one day go to soft play after school drop off, or forest school or something similar if you can afford to. If not, go to the park! Does your eldest have a packed lunch? If so, make 2 so the youngest also has the same. In the week do the jobs that you used to do at weekend, like food shopping, cleaning, laundry so that your weekends really are relaxing times. If money’s going to be tight, use your time to do some batch cooking of more economical meals.

Very similar to you, I'm going from a high stress, 4 days a week job, which is semi physical, to basically being a SAHM, working a couple of hours a day.

My plan is to get up with kids in the morning, drop them at school, then clean, using TOMM, shop and meal plan one day a week, batch cook on another day, some form of exercise for one hour or do some work on an online training course I'm doing. This will take me to lunchtime, when I'll eat lunch, start work and by the time I'm finished working, it will be school pick up time. Hoping I'll have a more tidy and organised house by the end of summer term! I'll have to continue with my low spend 2022, as income will obviously drop.

(And my new job does have a great pension, which I'll put as much as possible into)

@Soontobe60 Thank you all. I think I'm overthinking. Definitely good on the finances side (insurance, jt a/c etc), and I think I'll enjoy the cooking when it's not the mad scramble of "leave work, get kids back from school/nursery, and get some food in them before it's bedtime"

@Seeline Definitely planning one activity out of the house per day - that was my tactic on ML too. Kiddo #2 does enjoy helping a bit with the chores (socks for laundry, sweeping) so I will encourage that!

@RubyRedRoses Thank you for the tip about TOMM - I think I'll look into that. You sound very organised!

I hope it will be enjoyable

I'm not in your position yet, currently working 4 days and considering giving it up for a while (kids are 3 & 2 with eldest starting school in September) so following with interest!

I love the freedom. I love having my time to myself. Let yourself adjust to not being dictated to except by the needs of your family, including yourself.

I often get an urge to make something, so we pop to the shops and come back and make it, as a project.

There is always cleaning and mending to do around the home, so I make a list before bed as to what I should get done, and I don't get it all done, and that's okay.

Enjoy your life.
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I’m currently on maternity leave but not going back to work (was FT) - DS is almost one now. Def agree with a routine of sorts for the week. We do a couple of classes each week/ see a friend for coffee after one of them. I tend to keep Monday/ Friday free so we can be “spontaneous” with plans or catch up on stuff at home if required. Now that he will be one soon, I feel as though I need to review the classes we’re doing but the week will be constructed in a similar manner.
As a previous poster said - take the time to get used to the idea and a different pace. I still feel as though I’m getting used to the concept tbh though excited about the new chapter!