This post is sponsored by Little Spoon but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"Let’s be honest. If you work outside the home, the juggling act of being an employee and a mother (plus, many other responsibilities!) may never feel perfectly balanced. For me, it always feels like when I am excelling in one area, the guilt creeps into another part of my life that I assume I am neglecting. Working full time outside your home, getting home to begin your second motherhood shift, then sometimes continuing to work once the kids go to sleep—the third shift—is no easy feat.
Allow me to share some candid confessions of a working mom: It may be weeks that the clean laundry remains in the basket piled high. My house is more often dusty than not. Sometimes I need a mental break before the second shift starts, so I may put the kids in front of the TV to have a few minutes to myself. My kids don’t always get freshly-made meals. Dirty dishes make a regular appearance in my home to the point that I have invested in biodegradable plates for those especially-hard work weeks. None of these confessions make me a bad mom—it’s just the harsh reality of being a working mother.
Although being a working mother may never be a walk in the park, we’ve learned a thing or two on how to alleviate some of the stressors and responsibilities—like getting your child’s food delivered. If you work outside the home, read on for some tips to make your second shift easier.
1. Take meal prep for the kids off your plate with healthy and fresh ready-made food delivered
I shared in one of my confessions above that I don’t always have time (or energy) to give my kids fresh food. Well, that’s before I discovered the holy grail of the baby, toddler, and big kid food delivery service, Little Spoon. With fresh and healthy food for your LOs delivered directly to your door with Little Spoon, you can remove one thing off of your to-do list and relieve part of your daily mental load. Little Spoon delivers fresh and nutritious food that includes meals, snacks, and vitamins. They have the most scrumptious food for all childhood stages from the baby stage to the toddler years to the big kids!
Source: Amanda Shapin Michelson
We all know mom guilt is pervasive, and one of the areas where we tend to beat ourselves up is in the quality of food we serve our children. I know I am dripping with guilt when I have to order take-out instead of cooking fresh meals. Well, once you start using Little Spoon you can bid your mommy guilt farewell because you have the convenience of having food delivered without compromising quality and nutrition. We love Little Spoon because:
- Meals are made fresh every week with lots of variety to choose from that include baby food, toddler and big kid plates, smoothies, and vitamins.
- Food is both nutritious and yummy!
- The quality is excellent and meals are made with non-GMO ingredients.
- Your kids will never get bored because they use over 100 ingredients to provide endless variety for even the pickiest eater.
- There is nothing artificial. Ever.
Little Spoon
Recipes are available for all baby stages from just starting solids—like this peach starter blend—to more complex purees, to fully-textured transition meals. And all Little Spoon Babyblends are 100% organic.
Use code EVERY35MOM for 35% off your first order with Little Spoon!
Little Spoon
Got a picky eater who insists on eating crackers for meals? With these healthy and clean plates, your toddler and big kid can enjoy a mouth-watering meal with hidden veggies and superfoods in every bite! This whole wheat penne and kale turkey meatballs plate is a hit every time.
Use code EVERY35MOM for 35% off your first order with Little Spoon!
2. Create a tradition for some quick quality time with your LO
Something that we may forget because we have a lot on our minds is that our kids miss us during the day. They may act fussy and not listen, but in their own way, they are happy to see us and may not know how best to communicate this. I have learned to diminish the likelihood of tantrums by dedicating some one-on-one quality time to my LOs. It doesn’t have to be overly long or complicated in terms of what you do and how long you do it. Simply taking 20 minutes to go outside for a walk, read a book, or cuddle in bed will allow you to reconnect with your child after a long day. It sometimes can make all the difference for the start of your second shift.
3. Organize weekday meals over the weekend
If your work week is anything like mine, it is saturated with an endless to-do list. What I have finally realized is that I need to dedicate time during the weekend to prepare meals for the week ahead. I know this may not sound ideal, but cooking food over the weekend can lessen the burden significantly during the week. Below are some ways to keep yourself on top of it all, especially if you incorporate food delivery via Little Spoon. It can make meal prep so much easier!
Etsy | Ruff House Print Shop
We love a traditional meal-planner that allows you to jot down the meals for the week. This handy planner also includes a shopping list so you can make sure to have all the ingredients you need to feed your family.
Etsy | MiboStudioDesign
If digital is more of your jam, this Google sheet weekly meal planner is just for you. It includes recipe and grocery list templates to make meal planning easy-peasy with the click of your mouse.
4. Build in quiet time for your child
Once your LO is beyond the infancy stage and has developed more of their independence, you can encourage some quiet time in small increments in the form of independent play. Not only is this good for their development, but it can also help free you to answer that last email or prepare the meal. You can incorporate quiet time by having their favorite toys and books within reach and being near them so they do not feel so alone. Starting with just five minutes and increasing from there can build their independence, foster creativity, and give you peace of mind to tackle your second shift’s to-do list.
Source: RyanKing999 | Canva
5. Establish a bedtime routine
Bedtime is a whole other struggle within your second shift. Depending on the mood of your child, it can either go smoothly or drag on for hours. Although creating a bedtime routine is not an actual science, establishing some semblance of a structured sleepytime routine can diminish some protests when expectations are clearly made. Removing screen time, reducing active play, and using bath time to calm your child can all help signal to your child that it is time to rest. The more you set these expectations early on, the easier it will be for your little sleeper to quickly have sweet dreams. Plus, creating this bedtime routine is especially vital if you need to start your third shift—continue working—once your children go to bed.
This post was in partnership with Little Spoon but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.