Chaos Hour

As a stay at home, homeschooling, run two at home businesses,  mom of many.. I have dubbed a certain time of day as "Chaos Hour"..

For us this is usually the hour before my husband is due home from work. I am usually in the midst of making dinner, setting table, cleaning up from whatever project we had done during the day etc. etc.

Because I try to create an atmosphere of peace for when hubby comes home, chaos hour.. is just that complete and utter chaos. It's the time of day when my phone will ring the most. It's the time when my little ones will want immediate answers to the worlds biggest questions.. Like "why are duck feathers green?" and it's is asked with such urgency.. like they must know NOW!! :)

It's the hour when my oldest ones are either leaving for work, coming in from work, coming home from an outing etc. etc.

It's also the time when someone gets hurt, someone needs me to talk to them privately, or the baby is crying and needs me.

So how does a mom combat "Chaos Hour"?

First she recognizes it.
It will be different in each home, as we are all on different schedules, routines, working or non-working..

Hint: It's the time when you are most ready to rip your hair out! ;)

After you have figured it out then you create the plan of action.

Here is mine.
Hubby is usually home from work around 6:30 pm. Dinner is usually prepared and just waiting for his arrival before being moved to dining room table.

So for me 5-5:30 ish is when everything seems to happen at once.

Around 4pm I start our supper. That's when all TVs are turned off. Kids are encouraged to clean up their school stuff they have been working on. I tune the radio usually to classical music. There is no video games or other back round noise.

I try to get each person who is home involved in preparing for daddy's arrival home.

We do a tidy of the house. Set dinner table, light candles. Get cleaned up. No dirty kids( or sloppy mama)  when daddy walks in. :) 

Any laundry is done and put away.

For my older children I have them write the schedules down on a large calendar for me to see. Who is where and when or if they will be home. 

By keeping the kids busy with helping me, we lessen the chances of someone getting hurt, kids bickering etc. etc.

Now two nights a week we are out of the house before our usual dinner time. That is also a different "chaos" time.. and we prepare accordingly for those nights. For instance both night my hubby is meeting us at church, therefore we eat ahead of time and I bring his supper to church.

Same routine but our "time" is bumped up by  a few hours.

The key to lessening the stress of "chaos hour" is to be prepared. When we are not prepared it just makes the time more frustrating.

This again is just what works for us. Identify your 'chaos hour'. And make a plan! :)

Dost thou love life?
Then do not squander time,
for that is the stuff life is made of.
Benjamin Franklin



Blessings