How to Keep FUN into Daily Life as a SAHM??

I leave the house. I am not thinking about all the stuff I have to get done when I am at the park, mall, out eating lunch, pool, etc. I am just focused on them. I try and do a few chores before I leave clean the kitchen, start a load of laundry, and pick up so I feel like I am doing something and I don't come back to a complete mess.

Here's one I found YEARS ago, as best I can remember it. I have no idea who wrote it, so I hope I'm not infringing anything.

"Some houses try to hide the fact that children shelter there.
Ours boasts of it quite openly - the signs are everywhere,
For smears are on the windows, and smudges on the door,
And I apologize, I guess, for toys strewn on the floor.
But I was with the children - we laughed and played and read -
And if the pots and pans don't shine, their eyes will shine instead.
For when, at times, I'm forced to choose the one thing or the other,
I'm glad to be a housewife, sure... but first, I'll be a mother."

I can totally relate! My daughter and I get out every day, unless she's sick, we always do something each day. We also do 'theme' weeks during the summer. It keeps things fun! This week was 'pirate' week. We went to "Pirates Cove" one day, an amusement park, colored pirate ships, made pirate ships, had pirates treasure lunch one day. You get the idea....! I also schedule our days as much as possible. Breakfast, then an hour of one on one play time, snack, outside time (or a trip to the park, mall, etc), lunch time, afternoon messy play time, snack, independent play time, dinner, play-time with Daddy, bedtime. That's our days, hope that helps! P.S. Enjoy this time, it won't last long till they grow up!

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow...
For babies grow up we've learned to our sorrow...
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep...
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep!

I grew up in a very clean but totally unhappy home. Happy is better.

I can relate! The only way I found was to get away from the house. I took my children to music and movement groups, mothers groups and to the park, pool and beach. If you're away from the house it is impossible to be distracted by your household chores. The kids also get tired out and sleep better.

It is very easy to get caught up in the drudgery. I agree with your other response that leaving the house (especially going outside, not to scheduled activities, but to a pool or playground or walk) is a good way to let go of the chore list, relax, and connect with the kids. Also, just try as much as possible to have fun even with the boring stuff. I'd say that some of my best moments with the kids come as I am getting them ready for bath in the evening or getting them dressed in the morning. We'll take just a little extra time to act silly, bounce on the bed, wrestle, etc. They love it. As for your chore list, is there some way to make it smaller or to enlist help? Even very young kids (1 years old and up) should be able to help pick up toys. Also, I've learned to cook simpler (though still tasty) foods than I did before kids. I don't have a poem or anything, but one thing I always try to think of, is "If I'm not having fun, then I'm doing something wrong." So, if I find myself caught up in the drudgery or even just frustrated or in a bad mood, I try to make things more fun, and usually that helps a lot. Good luck!

I tend to do my household chores as soon as I get up in the morning. It just sets the tone for my day when I feel like everything is (mostly) in its place. I start with changing the kids' diapers and clothes and tidy up their rooms. I feed them breakfast. Usually something quick and easy that doesn't make a big mess and clean up my kitchen shortly after we finish eating. I make up the beds, do a load of laundry and dust or vacuum and then take my shower while the kids watch their morning tv. The rest of the time we go some place with grandma, play outside, go to the pool, zoo, library, music class or have a play date. When I stick to that much of a routine it allows us to be really flexible or spontaneous for the rest of the day. Hope this helps!
A.

I write on my bathroom mirror all the time in lipstick.. usually little love notes for my husband if he's leaving for work before I'll be awake, sometime's I make funny faces towards the bottom for the girls (so their reflection looks like they have a mustache), and sometimes, for me, I'll draw little sunshines and hearts or whatever makes me smile :) I get so busy with work, housework, and kids that I forget about those things until I go in there and see them throughout the day :D

I make everything a game if I can. I'll play loud music and the kids and I will see how much stuff we can get done before a song is over... or we'll race to see who can get what done first (they always kick my butt!)... sometimes if the girls are watching me prepare dinner, I'll explain what I'm doing as I go along in a funny accent (always get giggles with that one!) I sing constantly (and I'm terrible!)... I'll make up songs as I fold the laundry and watch the baby dance ;) It's the little things!! :)

When we were kids, my mom used to play "school" with us at 11am every single day -- unless we were going somewhere. We LOVED it!

My kids are both teens. Time flies. Cleaning and housework will wait until they go to college and trust me -- that's sooner than you think.
When they were little, we used to try to get out and play with friends a few times per week -- either at a playground, someone's house, or see a movie or whatever.
Summer always seemed easier:
There are free or $1 movies at your local theater during the summer. Find out what day. The library has a summer reading program - my kids loved that, too! Vacation bible school was something they really enjoyed and that was one week from 9 -11:30am at one of the churches. It wasn't a lot of time, but they couldn't wait to go back every day. :-)
We went for walks almost every day. We played in puddles if it rained. We had a kiddie pool and we went in there every day -- we didn't have A/C and that was one way to cool off. Once in a while we went to a public pool at a State Park and it was wonderful... it was just for little kids. My teens still talk about "the mushroom pool"!
Sometimes we packed a picnic.
Sometimes we went to McDo.
Sometimes we met Daddy for lunch at his office and had a picnic outside.
Sometimes we had a TV day and stayed in our pajamas all day.
Sometimes we baked cookies or decorated cupcakes...
Sometimes we folded laundry together -- okay, I folded and they watched cartoons.
Enjoy them while they are little -- they get too big too fast and before you know it, they're off to college.
LBC

I used to have a high powered job, get all my cleaning & chores done etc.
But now.....the most important thing for me is spending time w/my baby.
He's a toddler now but the time will go by fast.
One day when I look back will I say "Wow, I wish I would have cleaned more" or will I sadly say "I wish I would have played w/my baby more and enjoyed the precious time"?
I am betting on the latter so I play w/him.
My house is not spotless.
I do surface cleaning.
I make dinner.
I laugh w/my baby, take him to the library for reading time, I take him to the park, we take the dogs for a walk, in the rainy season we go to the mall to walk his energy off and ride the carousel.
I want him to have a happy childhood filled w/memories of mom playing in the sprinklers w/me, mom playing cars w/him on the carpet holding him reading a book together.
One day he will want nothing to do with me (he'll have a car, friends, activities, sports, dates, a wife and family of his own).
Right now if I go for a walk for 20 mins and leave him with his dad upon my return he says "mommy, I was looking for you". Again.....one day I will be chopped liver to him. :) Hopefully, I will raise a happy, well adjusted, loving child and when he's older he will want to talk on the phone w/me for a few mins or come visit me for 1/2 an hour.
But in the meantime........no way am I missing out on this precious time to scour floors & pots. I will sadly have plenty of time to clean when no one will care or see it.
So I choose to let the housework go a little (ok quite a bit) and do what absolutely needs to get done:
laundry, surface cleaning, sweep/vacuum once every few days/once a week/or when I see dirt, grocery shop, clean bathrooms, come cooking.
That's it. The rest can be done later or when I have extra time.
Also, I do things really fast! :)
Oh and I put away toys when he goes to bed.
One more thing, how to make it fun? Play outside, text a friend when I need a lift-me-up, call a friend when I need a laugh, turn on the comedy channel for a second to see if they can get me to laugh, treat myself to a mocha once in awhile when we go run errands, make my favorite dinner once a week, read the funnies if I'm feeling down, post a positive or funny note on my mirror to remind me of what's important, have a tiny piece of chocolate (a kiss).

have the kids help you pick up and do choirs and than try to get what you can done and don't worry about the rest also make time to stop and enjoy them like spread things out and n always give alittle to get alittle so don't clean the bathroom or kitchen every day do some minor cleaning and sit back and play with the kids clean once a week and play the rest. kids are kids and there only around for a little while

Personally, i don't like leaving teh house everyday (as most suggested). We have our ups and downs. The best solution I found was joining moms club. There are at least 2 activites a week scheduled, so that ensures that we get out and have fun.
Recently, the house was out of control (had family over for birthday party and forgot to have cousins help pick up before leaving...disaster). I'm pregnant, and it just became overwhelming. Everyone was unhappy and frustrated. One evening I finally said to my husband, can you help me and help the kids learn to pick up at the same time? We had the whole downstairs picked up in less then an hour (we have a large house). The next day I was able to vacuum and mop, and even my almost 2yr old son is putting his toys away. If the house is picked up, I've found the kids are more likely to pick up after themselves. I've spent this week pulling out games and playing games with them instead of cleaning. After we're done, they're learning that the first game/toy needs to be picked up before the next activity.
I've also started a simple list of things to do for fun (on the calender). ...blow bubbles, playdough, music, etc. When I'm feeling like I'm not spending time with the kids, I look at the list and pick an activity. I then write down what activities we did that day. I feel a lot less guilty for doing my chores around the house. The kids are young (almost 2 and almost 4). They really only want mommy's attention for ~10min at a time anyway. The rest of the time they play on their own (which I think is important for them to learn to do anyway). If they start arguing, or if I feel like they might start arguing, I know I"m doing too many chores and it's time to step in with a fun new idea. I also include them in my chores and gardening. My son loves driving his truck up and down the garden rows and picking stones and sticks out of the garden. They love learning about the plants, and what veggies will come from them. Most of all they love picking the food themselves and eating it. Which means smooshed strawberries and ripped out plants (or runned over plants), but hey they have to learn sometime. We also listen to music and dance while I fold laundry. Good luck

Simplify your life, and don't confuse a clean house (though it has it's merits) with being a good mom. It's been said many a time, on your deathbed you won't remember having a clean house, but the time you spent with your kids. The window of opportunity to play with them goes fast :(

Put some of the toys up in a closet so there's not so many to pick up. Rotate them every couple of weeks, they'll still get to use them all, just not at the same time...less to pick up. If your children are older than 3 enlist their help in cleaning up, they can do simple things like putting toys away.

Vacuum & sweep floors every other day, spot clean messes instead of mopping every day as well.

Make meals that don't require a lot of cooking (especially in summer) like salads and sandwiches or finger foods, cook and freeze meals like casseroles so all you have to do is heat them up and serve with a salad, and eat picnic style sometimes with paper plates and cups to cut down on cleaning. Enlist your husband to grill outside sometimes when the weather's nice and sit back.

If you don't have a schedule, make one. Schedule in "fun" time with the kids.
Make homemade playdough with them, there's lots of recipes online. Go for impromptu walks, visit a park and just play, sit outside and blow bubbles, make a meal with all the foods the same color, whatever is fun.

I love to take my little girls out to lunch, esspecially to tea. Pinics in the park, indoor play yard at the mall. Take her to the craft store and stock up and do tons on crafts (we did this before fathers day and made him tons of stuff). I know I also get caught up in keeping the house in order and put my kids off. I make my self slow down once after breakfast to focus on my daughter for at least 15-20 min. We play play dough, make crafts, jump on the trampoline. Then we do it again after lunch and of course special time after dinner. I take baths with her or go in the jacuzzi. Take her to yogurt, go for walks. Right now we are raising tadpoles and we spend lots of precious moments together around the tank looking at them, as well walking to the creek to get fresh water to put in there (it has been very bonding for us). Play loud music and dance around the room. let her help me make cookies on weekend afternoons or let her on the counter to crack eggs while I make breakfast. The main thing for me is to allow myself to get behind. Someday I'll have a lovely empty home thats in order, right now I have little girls to love and the clutter, dishes, and clothes on floor prove I'm going a good job of it.