My Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule with Two Under Two
Having two under two is a crazy season. Here is my stay-at-home-mom schedule with two under two (and soon to be three under three)!
Note: I wrote this about three years ago! A lot has changed, but I think this post still provides a lot of value and encouragement. I now have had four kids (in less than five years!), and I have had 2 under 2 THREE times!
I became a stay-at-home mom when my first baby was born almost two and a half years ago. Now, I have my almost 2.5-year-old son, almost 1.5-year-old daughter, and a third baby on the way! While my kids are not “two under two” anymore, I’ve been there and I want to bring you some encouragement. I actually had my kids less than 12 months apart, so I know what it’s like to have two under one, two under two, and very soon, I’ll know what it’s like to have three under three. Here is an example of a stay-at-home mom schedule with two under two to give you ideas on how to manage your day with little ones.
Stay-at-Home Mom of Toddlers
The first year after having a child, it is hard to establish a regular system of doing things. My kids were born less than one year apart, so I feel like I was in that weird survival-mode state for a while.
Now that my son and daughter are both almost toddlers, I am starting to get a little bit of a handle on our daily routine. Baby number three is due in a few months, and while I know that the new baby will disrupt it a little bit, I really feel like I found a good fit for our family. My older two will continue to use this schedule even after the baby comes. Then, as the baby gets older, she will also fit into the routine. This schedule will work well while my kids are still really young, but I think it will also work for years to come if we homeschool (something I’m considering!).
Of course, it should be tweaked in some ways as the kids get older, but at least it shouldn’t change as much as the routine of a newborn does!
Next, I’ll share my daily schedule, and then, I’ll give extra tips on creating your own stay-at-home mom schedule.
My Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule
Before I start listing the routine, keep in mind that I’m sharing the ideal schedule, in which everything goes right during the day. It usually does not, whether I sleep in late, a child is sick, or something else happens. Especially during pregnancy, it seems like my daily schedule hardly goes right. Nonetheless, here is the stay-at-home mom schedule with two under two that I follow as closely as possible!
6:00 AM – I Wake up
I wake up, make the bed, and head downstairs. I help my husband with last-minute breakfast or lunch preparation and send him off to work. He has already been up for a little bit. After he leaves, I start the tasks I hope to accomplish before the kids get up.
Waking up at 6:00 in the morning is normally realistic for me, but since I am pregnant, this part of my day is the most skipped for extra sleep. If I can get myself out of bed at all before the kids get up, I like to do a light workout and then have my quiet time. During quiet time, I will read the Bible and maybe sip some coffee.
Other tasks I aim to do before the kids get up include picking up anything that was left out the night before (toys, clothes, etc.), starting a load of laundry, unloading the dishwasher, and filling up the kids’ morning sippy cups with milk.. I feel accomplished if I can achieve any one of these tasks done before the kids get up.
7:30 AM – Kids Wake up
My kids wake up (also me these days!) around 7:30 am. I help them downstairs and immediately change diapers. Then, I fill their sippy cups and start finding clothes to get everyone dressed.
Our mornings usually feel hectic. We don’t have a slow, relaxing start to our day because I find my kids need diaper changes and milk first thing in the morning. They both still wear diapers, and they’re quite full in the mornings. Also, they always seem eager to get something to drink and eat as soon as possible.
8:00 AM – Breakfast
When my husband is home, we always make a proper breakfast, but during the week, I usually whip up something fast and easy, like fruit and cereal.
8:30 AM – School/Play Time
Most days, I like to help my two year old with a little five-minute activity to simulate being in a school setting. We sit down at his little kid table, and I give him a short activity. Ideally, I’d prepare some sort of educational project or sensory activity, but most days, it’s a quick coloring page. My intention is for him to practice following directions and focusing on one task for a few minutes.
After that, both kids get to have free play time. I usually sit with them in the playroom for a bit and maybe read a book. However, I allow them to explore and learn to entertain themselves as much as possible.
9:30 AM – Chore Time
For about an hour, my kids do something more relaxed while I start cleaning. They both get a little tired and grumpy in the late morning (especially my one year old because she could sometimes still use a morning nap). I’ll give them books or put on a TV show, so I can get a few housekeeping tasks accomplished. I’m pretty picky about what TV shows/movies I let my kids watch, so I am comfortable with them watching TV for a little while, so I can get stuff done!
10:30 AM – More Play Time
I usually take a cleaning break, turn off the TV, and spend time with the kiddos right before lunch.
Occasionally, we go outside briefly in the morning. However, I don’t take them outside by myself very often. As much as I know I should take them outside as much as possible, it’s an extremely exhausting and stressful thing for me in this season. My one-and-a-half year old still doesn’t walk, and being pregnant, it’s hard to hold her and herd a two year old at the same time.
11:00 AM – Kids’ Lunch
I prepare lunch for the kids. I usually have them finished eating by 11:30. Then, I change diapers, fill sippy cups, and take them upstairs for their afternoon nap.
11:30 AM – Kid’s Nap Time/Mommy’s Lunch Time
After the kids go down for their nap, I treat myself to some “me time,” by sitting down with my lunch and watching a little Netflix or YouTube. I’m in that very rare period where both of my kids have the exact same nap schedule! I know this won’t last forever, but my goal is to train my kids to have quiet time for a couple hours each afternoon even as they get older.
1:00 PM – Work Time
During the afternoon nap and after lunch, I work on my business or catching up on household cleaning tasks. I don’t get everything done during this time, but I try to have focused, purposeful work time during the kids’ nap.
Also, depending on the season of life, I will fit in a nap at times. Especially during the first trimester of pregnancy, I need naps!
3:00 PM – Kids Wake up from Afternoon Nap
The time they wake up really varies, but it’s about three hours after they go down. I change diapers, refill cups, and get them snacks. Then, they play while I make a few dinner preparations and wait for my husband to get home.
4:00 PM – Outside Time
A little after four, my husband gets home from work, and we get ready to go outside. We either take the kids for a stroller ride, play in the backyard, or go to the park. We almost always spend a good hour outside in the afternoons. It’s so needed for all of us.
My husband and I used to go on a long walk every afternoon, and we’d take the babies in the stroller. Now that we have a toddler and baby (almost toddler), this outside time is less about us getting our exercise and more about letting our two year old practice walking, exploring, and following directions.
To be honest, I miss that peaceful time when they were babies. My husband and I could talk about our days, and we felt healthier getting in a good long walk every day. The season of motherhood is always changing, and we have to adapt to our kids’ needs.
5:00 PM – Dinner
My husband and I tag team: one of us cooks, while the other entertains the little ones. Sometimes we put on the TV while dinner is cooking. Then, we sit down at our dining table, pray, and eat dinner. Or rather, try to sneak in a few bites of our own food while we help our little ones eat!
6:00 PM – Family Time
After dinner, we pretty much start winding down for bedtime. We get the kids cleaned up and give them baths if it’s a bath night. Often, we sit in the playroom as a family, and my husband will start reading books.
7:00 PM – Get Kids Ready for Bed
Around 7:00 at night, we change diapers, put on the kids’ pajamas, brush teeth, and clean up toys. Then, we bring the kids upstairs and put them to bed.
7:30 PM – Free Time for Parents
By 7:30, our kids are usually tucked in bed for the night. This is our free time to watch a show together, read books, catch up on dishes, shower, and work on my business some more. We usually stay up later than we should trying to decompress from the day. I left out all the temper tantrums, fights, screaming, and general chaos that naturally accompanies two under two. While it is such a blessing to have children running around our home, having time to unwind is so beneficial in preparing myself to tackle another day!
Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule Tips
Being a stay-at-home mom is no easy job! In those early years with little ones, it is especially taxing. Here are a few tips I learned about creating a stay-at-home mom schedule with two under two:
Understand your limits.
Your limits today with a baby and a toddler (or two toddlers) are not the same as your limits before becoming a mother. Learn to accept that you can’t accomplish as much as you used to. You aren’t lazy or unproductive (well, sometimes we can be!) — caring for little ones is a FULL-TIME JOB. Your capacity for housework, friendships, serving in the community, and practically everything decreases when you have two under two.
Get outside time.
This probably goes without saying, but if you’re like me and struggle to do it, I encourage you to make it happen every day. Even if it’s just sitting on the porch for five minutes blowing bubbles. It will lift your spirits immensely.
Let your husband take the kids off your hands each day.
Definitely schedule some time off each week, but even handing the kids off to your husband so you can cook dinner in peace is helpful. Doing this each day is beneficial for both you and the kids. If my kids never leave my sight, they fight spending time with anyone else, even their own daddy. It can be hard as a stay-at-home mom to make it happen when it feels easier to just keep taking care of the kids yourself, but it’s so important. It doesn’t have to be a big outing away from the kids, just a transfer of responsibility for a short period of time.
Another option is to have a grandma take the kids off your hands for a little while!
You don’t have to do learning activities.
I know I pressure myself in this department! You’re not a bad mom if you don’t teach your kids their colors or numbers or ABCs by time they’re two. It’s not a requirement and won’t guarantee your kid will be extremely smart if you start learning activities super young.
If you grew up in the school system like I did, you may feel a push to have a rigid schedule in place for your little ones. After all, that’s what you did all your life. However, kids thrive just having a predictable routine with lots of open play and explore time built into it! *Update: my oldest is now three, almost four. I still haven’t started formal schooling for him, yet he is a sponge and has learned so many things on his own!* Give them plenty of opportunities to create, construct, make believe, run, and do whatever they come up with in a safe way, and they should be just fine.
It’s such a short season!
If something feels so hard that you can hardly breathe, that’s a sign that you need to change something in that area. Try your best to find a balance, but also recognize that this is a short season. Push through the challenges that two under two bring, and soon, you will forget all the hard sacrifices that had to be made and you’ll just wonder where your little babies went.
Stay-at-Home Mom Schedule with Two Under Two Conclusion
The world preaches that you shouldn’t have to give up anything when you become a mom. That you should be able to keep the things you enjoy from your old life.
The truth is you are a different person now. I know it’s hard. Maybe you don’t even realize it. But this is a hard season! Once you become aware of that, it’s okay to realign your schedule so that you can be a fully present and joyful mom. Motherhood is a continual refining process.
Depending on the ages and needs of your little ones, your schedule will look different than mine, but I hope this stay-at-home mom schedule with two under two inspired ideas for your own schedule! I don’t get a lot of housework done. I don’t get out and see friends often. But I have peace that I’m where I’m supposed to be investing time right now.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10.
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Momming with such little ones is such a trying and blessed time, thank you for sharing