Parenting manuals are handy for a very select few. That's not to say I haven't read a couple myself, but I have found them only marginally helpful. The best way to learn about motherhood is to dive right in. This is an extension of the well-known fact that only parents know: If you wait until you're ready to have kids, you will never have kids. Put simply, learn as you go.
Friends and family are full of advice about what works for them. Take it in context though. It works for them. If you're lucky, some variation of that same advice will work for you, and if you've won the parenting lottery, the exact advice will work the first time you try it. I've never won the lottery though, parenting or otherwise. Well, I have with my boys, but I'm talking about advice here.
Okay, in the spirit of getting on track here (forgive me for being long-winded, it's been a while since I could write with a functional computer), I am going to impart some wisdom that's a couple degrees removed from parenting. I won't tell anyone how to raise their children, but I can tell you some fail-safe techniques for other areas of your life that will make it easier. And that will help a little, I hope.
1: Never sweep more than once a day (except food messes). It's a waste of time. I promise.
2: Don't sort your laundry by colour (unless it's a brand new red shirt; that should be separate at least twice). I have never had pre-washed clothes stain my other clothes a different colour. Coffee, however...
3. Leave a couple days' worth of baked goods on the counter, and freeze the rest. Your hips and budget will thank you.
4.Clean with vinegar. It's just as effective, much safer and much cheaper. Dilute 1/4 vinegar to 3/4 water in a spray bottle. And it makes your house smell like a chip truck. Side note: it's not very useful for bath tubs. For those I recommend Green Works Natural Bathroom Cleaner. No scrubbing required, just wipe the grime off.
5. Have a good filing system and organizational method. I use bins and buckets and shelves. Do what works for you. Finding something is half the battle.
6. Designate a place for mail. Separate what needs to be filed from what needs your attention. Then it will never get lost in the recycling pile. If you have space, use stand-up file trays. I made some huge, card stock envelopes to put on my wall. Then you can deal with it when you have a minute.
7. If it's lasagne night, make two (or three). They freeze wonderfully and it takes the same amount of time to double the recipe. Then you can have a homemade convenience meal next week, between homework and sports practise and cleaning and swimming and going to the park......
8. Never substitute apple sauce for butter in cookies. I may have written this in my recipes section, and if I did, I apologize. You can taste the difference and they may be a bit healthier but they are not good. Besides, what's an extra 1/4 cup of butter divided between 24 cookies anyway? If you need to make them healthier, reduce or eliminate raisins or chocolate chips. Substituting it in muffins is okay though.
9. Try to leave your children at home when you're grocery shopping, if at all possible. At least until they're nine or ten. Let them pick something to add to the list if it upsets them (it probably won't), and go on your own. Yes, it's much easier to do it yourself then to have children running around at a grocery store.
10. Have a list of friends you can call to babysit in a pinch. Also make a list of friends you can call to go out with or talk to on the phone when you've had a bad day. Just knowing that list is there will improve your mood some days. And when you have time to make a phone call, you won't waste time thinking of who to call.
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