Help me! I’m a mom to twin toddlers. Here’s how I survive the day to day.
I’m not Supermom. Not even close. My children watch WAY too much Disney Junior (not that I’m complaining if it’s Bluey) and eat WAY too much junk food (not that I’m complaining if I get a bite, too). That being said, the job gets done and somehow I still find time to also dress like a fully-functioning adult human and whip out a few novels. I have two almost-two-year-olds and by now we’ve got a good routine going. So how do we do it? Read on for a day in the life with twin toddlers.
My day starts around 6 a.m. If I want to shower and wear make-up, it absolutely has to get done before the kids wake up. This is precious me-time and I guard it with my life. A note for all non-parents/dads out there: taking a shower and having a basic care routine is not relaxing for a mom. It is a necessity that, when skipped, leaves us feeling sub-human. We need this time. PROTECT THIS TIME. And then be kind enough to make sure that we get relaxation time on top of that. 🙂 This goes double for moms raising twin toddlers. We need this, y’all.
My kids wake up at 7 a.m. on the dot. They are (mostly) great little sleepers who have been trained since they were three months old. I recommend the book Moms on Call to everyone struggling to find a routine with a new baby, but it is especially helpful for a parent of twins. My kids start their day by going potty, changing, and eating breakfast. They usually also sucker me into a few episodes of PBS Kids.
At 8, I drop my twin toddlers off at their Montessori preschool and begin my day alone. It’s chores first, a stop for caffeine (gotta feed that addiction), and then back home to walk the dog and get to work. I alternate in ~hour long sessions between writing/editing and cleaning up my house. I’m a super focused writer, so this works really well for me. The little breaks allow me to avoid feeling like a work horse and the hour blocks for writing allow me to really dive into my current story.
At 4, it’s time to pick up the kiddos. Eleanor and Owen live for school. They love it so much, which is great for me as it brings them home tired and happy. We eat a snack together and then usually go chill in our backyard, at the local playground, or occasionally at their grandparents’ house. At 5, it’s time to cook and eat dinner. Thanks to Montessori, my kids are little pros in the kitchen. They’re super helpful and so making food isn’t usually a big deal.
And that brings me to 7 p.m., that bittersweet time of night when my husband and I kiss our sweet little angels goodnight and then jump for joy as soon as their door is closed. I’m kind of a workaholic, so once the clock hits 7 I force myself to pick up the house and then just spend the rest of the night relaxing with my spouse. It’s actually harder than it sounds to resist the call of whatever story I’m working on.
And there you have it: life of a writing mom with twin toddlers. It’s certainly not glamorous, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I’m super curious, is this anything close to what your day looks like? Do you have kids? A spouse? Let me know, especially if you have handy tips and tricks to help me get through my day. And if you’ve got another spare moment, be sure to check out this other article I wrote recently, covering the backstory behind my latest novel.
xoxo
Brittni
