Mommy Multi-tasking!

Women are supposed to be naturally stronger at multi-tasking than men.  Well, that element of the feminine genius has eluded me.  Patting my head and rubbing my tummy at the same time is about the best I can do!  However, in the last year, the busiest year in my 40 years on this earth, I have actually found some creative multi-tasking strategies that don’t require the magic multi-task gene.  So, here are my multitasking-impaired tips for Mommies:

1.  Cleaning/entertainment/working:  With mixed results, a four year old can keep a baby safe, if not always happy, trying on all of his socks and sorting into “it still fits” and “outgrown” piles.  In the meantime, mom can catch up on emails, organization, blogging, on her computer from a nearby vantage point.  Be prepared to take 20 minutes to finish the sock job later.
2. Exercise/babycare/cleaning:  Adding a baby to your body in a carrier provides natural weight training, especially effective when vacuuming or climbing stairs!
3. Grooming/chauffeuring/mortification:  Avoid wasted time in the carlines by keeping a tweezer in your purse.  Offer up the plucking pain for the souls in purgatory.  I don’t know if I would ever pluck if it weren’t for my car’s vanity mirror!  I’m not kidding.  I really do this.
4. Cooking/educating/cleaning:  Ever notice how the kids have to be right in your way, I mean near you, while you’re trying to prepare dinner?  A disposable cleaning wipe in a young child’s hand can be useful cleaning lower cabinets and the garbage can, while another child reads aloud or practices spelling words with ABC magnets on the fridge.
5. Prayer/bathing/babycare:  This one is tricky in that it involves the presence of another adult.  It starts with taking a shower, something that may not happen at all if your children are young and that previously mentioned other adult isn’t home.  A good shower is just about the right amount of time to say an entire Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  Then, the other adult can hand you the baby for a quick clean up.  ( I keep baby wash right in the shower for these quick cleanings.)

I’m sure other Mommies have lots of great multitasking tricks.  Many involve keeping a few essential items on hand:  your Kindle in your purse, baby toe nail clippers by your favorite nursing chair, foreign language education CDs in the car, etc.  Please share some of your favorite tricks and tips!

Copyright 2012 Kate Daneluk