‘Tis the season for kids to be out of school, the long summer stretched out ahead. While they are filled with the joy of warm summer days, playdates, bike riding, freezies and swimming, we mompreneurs are desperately trying to manage all of the things that keep our families and our business’ running smoothly. Just listing off the responsibilities you’re about to try and conquer is overwhelming. So, let’s all take a big, deep breath and read on for tips and strategies for surviving this balancing act!
Juggling is hard, I totally get it….
I want you to know that I totally get how hard juggling everything is. I walk in your shoes daily, trying to fit everything in without enough time or hands. If only I could figure out how to double or triple myself, life would be so much easier. But, let’s face it; this is never going to happen. You and I are both just one mama, with one set of hands and a list that’s a mile long.
So, how in the heck do we manage all of this throughout the summer with kids at home more?
I am a mama myself to two young boys, Hudson (10 years) and Beckett (8 years). Between their busy schedules of competitive tennis and swim, I try to find time for my parent consulting company, Tia Slightham – Parenting Solutions. When everyone needs me at once, it can sometimes feel overwhelming and exhausting.
Most of the time, I feel like an underpaid Uber driver!
Can you relate??
If you are struggling to balance your business and your families, I want you to know a couple of very important things.
- You’re not alone
- Your guilt is real, but I’ve got some strategies to help you manage this
- Setting up systems such as “Golden Time” for your kids, in advance, will save you time and energy
Let’s fix this!
I want to walk you through each of these, three, essential points.
You are not alone! Get connected to other moms!
To start, you are not alone, not even for a second! Moms all over including myself, and clients of mine, are in their homes right this minute feeling just as you are feeling. Sometimes we just need to feel recognized and noticed. We need to know that we have a tribe surrounding and supporting us along the way. Mamas & Co. is one of the ways I feel connected as a mompreneur. I’ve got people that get me, understand my struggles, and who’ve got my back when I need help!
Get your guilt in check!
The 2nd point we are addressing is learning to get your “MOM GUILT” in check! Mom guilt is real. It’s intense guilt that often clouds us regularly. I get it! I am guilty myself of feeling mom guilt as I try to run my business and be a parent. Often times, as I try to answer client emails in between conversations with my kids, I hear:
“Hey mom, watch this! Watch me do this. MOM watch me. MOMMY, are you listening?”
When moments like this occur, we feel guilty. We feel like we aren’t responding to our clients with our best intention, and we aren’t paying enough attention to our kids. We are doing everything, but nothing to the level it needs to be done. Therefore, we are bombarded with more guilt. Guilt swarms in around our work, kids and personal achievements. It feels like we are half-ass everything, which leaves us feeling like we are failing.
YOU ARE NOT FAILING! YOU ARE ENOUGH!
Systems & Solutions
This brings us to the 3rd point in our balancing act, solutions. This is one of the most critical points, as it will finally allow you to save time and energy with your kids. It will give you more time for your business in a systematic way so that you can begin to work and parent well. In the end, you will finally be able to say goodbye to the mom guilt! Sound dreamy?
In my practice, I get the opportunity to help parents around the world improve their daily parenting experience. The way I do this is by offering concrete tools that are simple, easy and effective. Once you have the right tools under your belt, you can parent your kids in a fashion that allows you to be your best parent and your kids to be their best.
Systems Will Save Your Life
It’s essential to set up systems, routines, and schedules so that your kids can learn to expect what’s expected of them. When you take the time up front to create systems that work for you and your family, you will save yourself time and energy as you spread household work amongst all members of the family. With the right tools and systems, you will no longer need to engage in power struggles with your kids throughout the day.
The Secret Tool to Easier Parenting
I have over 52 tools that work effectively for long-term results, but today I am going to offer you the top-parenting tool to help your kids feel important, which in turn will save you time and energy.
“Golden Time” Is The Secret Sauce
GOLDEN TIME is the secret sauce to easy parenting! The specific formula makes it easy for you to follow and start implementing today! With golden time you will ensure that you are filling up your child’s attention bucket all summer long. No longer will they feel the need to fight for your attention. When you use this tool proactively, your kids will feel satisfied, and their emotional need of attention will be met daily. Hence, giving you more time to work on your business without guilt!
What is “Golden Time”?
The Golden Time Formula is…
1. One-on-One
2. Twice each day (10 minutes each time – guideline)
3. Uninterrupted, unplugged and fully engaged
4. Child’s Choice – doing something your child wants to do
5. Name it – give it a unique name. Golden Time is what we call it, but you or your child can name it ‘special time’, ‘cupcake time’, ‘me time’, anything.
All 5 steps must be included to ensure you meet your child’s attention needs. Golden Time makes it very clear to your child that you are making them a priority. What you put in is what you get out! Just like everything you do in your business and life, parenting is the same. Work hard up front, and the payoff is much better.
Fill Up Your Child’s Buckets
As you start filling up your child’s attention and power buckets, you will see negative behaviours decrease. Your kids will learn to respect your time, as you are respecting theirs. Golden Time will help you feel better as a parent and in turn, will help you work better on your business. Setting aside just 10 minutes twice a day will give you a concrete system you and your kids can rely on!
To help you balance your summertime mompreneur duties, I want you to know that you are enough! You can finally say goodbye to your mom guilt by setting up systems such as Golden Time. Once you begin, you will see positive changes in as early as one week’s time.
For more information on Golden Time and to learn more about how to create a smooth, easy flow to your daily parenting, reach out for a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call. I want to guide you as you increase your quality of life with kids!
Life with kids can be easy with the right set of tools!