Children are treasures whether you are a mom, dad, grandparent, guardian, or childcare provider. Adjusting to the 24-7 responsibility and never-ending commitments can be tough. There are a lot of pictures of beautiful babies but there are not many pictures of stressed-out moms and dads with spit up in their hair and poo on their hands as they change a diaper at 2am. Honestly, many of us are stretched to our limit.
The Problem
Parenting is a tough job. Have you ever wondered how much you would earn if you were paid for being a parent? Using “mom” as an example to represent any type of childcare provider, let’s start with the average number of hours worked per week. According to a study conducted by Market Research OnePoll in partnership with Welch’s nutrition program, moms work an average of 98 hours a week. That may surprise some, but moms routinely get up at 6:30am and do not finish their day until after 8:30pm. According to Salary.com, moms averaging 98 hours a week would earn $162,581.
Let’s Break Down These Hours Into an Average Week
Household Management
45.9 hours: Running a household encompasses a lot of activities that include laundry, cleaning, cooking, sewing, ironing, repairs, lawn care, and managing finances.
Childcare
30.2 hours: Caring for our children involves an ever-changing list of tasks that includes feeding, bathing, getting them ready for school, helping them through temper tantrums, play time, getting them ready for bed, and holding them when they wake up from a bad dream.
Teaching and Coaching
7.9 hours: Moms do a lot of teaching and coaching to help their children grow and develop. Moms teach younger children how to walk and talk. They teach toddlers the alphabet and help older children with homework. Additional activities include transportation to sports practice, after-school events, and community clubs such as the Scouts. Some moms volunteer to coach sports teams or help in the classroom.
Errands
10.7 hours: Moms also run a lot of errands such as going to the grocery store, shopping for household goods, and buying clothes and shoes.
If you are a mom, dad, or guardian who feels you are balancing 2.5 full-time jobs, then you are not alone. Four in every 10 of the 2,000 American mothers asked, feel that each week is a never-ending series of tasks that need to be completed. It is not surprising that a lot of moms and other primary caregivers feel stressed every day.
Tips To Help Parents With Their Workload
Get help.
Whether it is your partner, a family member or hiring a nanny or family assistant, getting help and support will ease the burden. Identify the most stressful times of days or activities that you struggle to get completed and seek help. For new moms and dads, this might be hiring an overnight nanny to help you get some sleep. For working parents, it may be a family assistant to pick up the kids, cook dinner, and help with homework. If you cannot stand the thought of cleaning, create a chore list for the family and split up the work or hire a weekly housekeeper.
Involve the kids.
From toddlers to teens, kids can help. Toddlers can put away their plastic dishes in a low cabinet and elementary school kids can help fold laundry and pick up items that need to be put away. Middle schoolers can learn to cook. Teaching children how to complete these tasks not only eases the burden on you but teaches them important life lessons. It is important for children to understand their role in the family and be able to help the family.
Intentionally manage your time.
Planning helps you use your time wisely. For example, if you plan weekly meals and include a few slow cooker meals, you can save time in the kitchen. Sneak in errands during lunch or bundle them together to reduce the number of trips required. Instead of leaving all the chores to the weekend, do a little bit each day so that it is not so overwhelming. Prepare in advance, when possible, and plan time for sleep and exercise so you can stay healthy.
Do not do everything.
There are no perfect families, and no one can do it all. Let the children pick 1 or 2 extra-curricular activities but do not feel that they must participate in everything or have an activity for each day of the week. Encourage the children to play independently during downtime. Try to cook healthy meals but do not fret if you order pizza one night.
It will take trial and error and time to find what works for you and your family. Each family is unique, so what works for you will look different from what works for other families and that is okay. Being a parent is tough work so surround yourself with those who love you and are willing and able to help.
