A few days ago, Aleks and I were on a quick call as we both prepped after school snacks for hungry four-and-a-half-year-olds.
It’s tax SZN and bitches be calculating. On the call, we decided we had a minimum of three hours of numbers ahead of us and my guy wasn’t going to be home from coaching hockey until around 9:30 p.m.
“It’s fine – call me at 7:30 and we’ll do it. I’ll just put them to bed an hour early,” I said.
“Put them to bed an hour early? What the fuck kind of sorcery is that? You’re just going to put both of your kids to bed an hour early? And that’s it? They’ll go to sleep?”
Hell yes they will.
My kids (age 3 and 5) usually to to bed at 8:30. I use the trickery below on nights when I know I need them to peace out for the day an hour early, allowing me from 7:30 p.m. until my brain implodes to get my shit done (usually sometime around 11:00 p.m.).
Every working mom (every work-from-home mom, specifically) deserves to know how to pull this off. Yes, you can do it! No, you can’t do it every day, but when you’ve got a deadline and you need an extra hour to get shit done, here’s how to make that happen in the most chill way possible.
First – this always works best when it’s not a last minute decision. You need to have your shit together in advance. Know what you need to do and how long it’s going to take to do it and then right from the moment the kids get home, start the process. Do things slowly, deliberately, and early AF.
Dinner? You’re going to need to have that broccoli plated by 5:00. The kids will have to be a bit tired out before dinner if you actually want them to sit and eat without messing around, so let them play outside for a bit after school or something. Bring them in, wash them up, feed them, enjoy the silence.
Keep the lights dim and the vibe chill. Put on a show. Preferably one not featuring aggressive colours and sounds. We’re talking polite British barn animals – not an energetic personified vehicles. Between food and entertainment, you’ve just made it to 5:45.
Once they’re fed, let them play for a bit. Turn off the TV and put on some laid back tunes as they putter around with their Lego or Play Doh or whatever. Slowly start closing blinds and curtains.
Once they start to get ants in their pants at around 6:45, bring them straight upstairs. Time for a loooong leisurely bath. Nice and warm, lots of toys. Let them play in there until they’re pruned and content – around 7:15.
Once they’re clean, dry, combed, and pyjama’d, the sun is dipping, blinds are drawn, and all overhead lighting in the house has been shut off, you can officially start pretending that it’s 8:15.
Cozy up in bed with them, read a story. Sing some songs. Tell them you love them. Whisper sweet nothings in their ears. Tickle them. Hug them tight. Tell them you love them again. Tell them goodnight.
The end.
Now it’s 7:30 and you’ve got access to your brain an hour early – do with it as you please.
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Featured Photo: Audrey Hepburn via @vintagefashion
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