HELP! I Don't Have Time to be a Mom!

[As printed in the MAR/APR 2005 ParentGuide]

A recent report suggested that the average woman spends two full weeks a year just looking for things! That's a special class or workshop. That's a nice vacation. That's a huge waste of time!

As Moms, our time is valuable, and we want to spend it with our families or, occassionally by ourselves. But we have to find ways to compensate. Here, ParentGuide explores some valuable ideas for adding minutes to your days and hours to your weeks.

Baby or Cleaning Wipes
Manufacturers are starting to realize what some Moms have known for years: Baby wipes are the greatest invention since sliced bread. That’s why Lysol and Clorox
now have their own version of “cleaning” wipes. Just a quick wipe across a bathroom or kitchen surface, and it cleans and sanitizes the surface until you can do deeper
cleaning. Use them when you need them.

Schedule Kids’ Cleaning Time
With kids, there comes stuff—LOTS of stuff—and in order to properly manage the clutter factor, it’s imperative to schedule 15 minutes every day for clean up. Choose
manageable times, right before or after dinner for example. Avoid crunch times, like right before bed or needed down times (immediately after school). Incorporate it into your daily routine and consider a “chore/reward” type system for motivation.

Live a Little Online
Busy Moms need to know that taking advantage of online services can really save time. Shopping online is a breeze and guarantees saved driving time and time wasted in long checkout lines. You can buy almost anything online, even grocery items, and some of those stores deliver.

Kitchen Tips

Two Meals in One
Try preparing two main dishes simultaneously. You can even take this one step further by organizing menus and preparing like dishes together (i.e. spaghetti and baked
ziti, chicken and rice and barbecued chicken, etc.). If you have the most time in the morning, prepare the evening meal at breakfast, so when you’re running the kids around in the afternoon, you won’t have to stop at a fast food joint because you’re too pooped to prepare supper.

Double up on Ingredients
Think about the number of times a week you chop onions, green peppers, and other vegetables. How often do you grate cheese ? If those are things you do frequently
consider doubling up on the amount and refrigerating the rest for another day. And if you suddenly find that its’ “one of those weeks,” and you’re afraid the chopped
veggies will go to waste, break out the salad bowl, and make a fabulous salad!

Clean as You Go
The biggest single mistake Moms make in the kitchen is not cleaning as they go. As soon as the spaghetti noodles are bubbling and the sauce is simmering, take to the sink and wash that cutting board and those knives. You’ll be surprised at how much time this saves.

Barter for Help
Here’s an idea for women with their own businesses or women with a special service or talent. Consider bartering for help. Contact other women-owned businesses and
ask if they would consider a trade-out for services. Look for single proprietors or new businesses, those that could use your services. A friend with a marketing business once bartered for housecleaning services; another who was an artist volunteered to do flyers for a produce stand in exchange for fruits and vegetables. This is a great way save time and money.

Good Food Fast
In the past five years, a number of facilities where busy Moms can come in and prepare several meals in just a couple hours have opened in the Tampa Bay
area. These businesses have the meal “prep work” already done, so Moms come in and just have to“assemble” the ingredients. Meals are stored in tin baking pans or plastic freezer bags and are frozen until it’s time to eat. These businesses are wonderful timesavers that really and truly ARE cost effective.

Melissa Slack, a Mom and owner of Let’s Eat in the Tampa Bay area says she and her partner, Marni Poe (also a Mom), actually started the business because
they “struggled with putting meals on the table.” Melissa and Marni were especially concerned about“bringing families back to the table.” So they opened Let’s Eat with the goal of making it a place where Moms and other guests could enjoy their time as
well as make delicious healthy meals. For those interested in trying out a meal prep
session, Melissa offers five tips to enhance the experience:

1. Line up childcare: It’s no fun preparing meals in a fun, caring environment if you’re chasing after little ones.

2. Select meals online: This gives you time to read about the dish, how its prepared, what ingredients are included, etc.

3. Bring a friend: These businesses are as much about Mom-time and socializing as they are about preparing the meals. For example, Let’s Eat offers beverages, including
wine, and hors d’oeuvres during your session and plenty of opportunities to chat while preparing meals.

4. Read each recipe through before beginning to assemble it. This cuts down on mistakes.

5. Ask for help at any time.

Visit Let’s Eat at www.letseatdinner.com.