Forget about a 9 to 5 job. Motherhood has no schedule – it often feels like it happens from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and any time in between. In this new series, we explore the hectic, chaotic, sometimes beautiful and often frustrating career of being a mom and maintaining your life. Think of it as “a forgotten day of your life.” Read the first part, by Jemima Kirke. The latest, from Hilaria Baldwin.
5:00 am
I wake up before the rest of the family to prepare for the day and take some time for myself. I check my Oura ring to track my sleep. I try to use humor to explain how bad my grades usually are. Because: What good is sleep when you have seven kids 11 and under? I shower and these are my products!
5:15
I drank a glass of water, made coffee and took my pups out to the balcony. I made a grassy area for them and it turned out to be a lifesaver for the city!
5:45 AM
My kids are still sleeping and I’m out for a run. I’ve been using the Beats Pro lately and they stay stable when I exercise. My favorite running shoe is the Whitin Women’s Simply Barefoot Running Shoe because I love feeling the ground when I run. My trusty fanny pack is falling apart, but I’m stuck with it and it fits my phone perfectly. Running calms me down and helps me focus throughout the day, and New York City mornings are so peaceful.
I have ADHD and from a young age I knew I needed to move my body every day to feel centered and focused and perform at my best. It’s no wonder I treat exercise as my job. Although I teach yoga all day, I also schedule exercise in between classes, it’s always been important to my mental health; now that I have a child, I’ll choose a time to exercise that’s most convenient for my child. This usually means before they wake up or between work and meetings. My kids are home on the weekends, but I’ve learned to let go of the guilt by letting them know that I need to take care of myself too – body and mind. I hope they see this as an invitation to live the same way.
at 8 am
After the run, I showered, got dressed and fed the kids breakfast (which was as chaotic and wild as you can imagine). We have found that being prepared the night before is key: have your clothes picked out, your backpack ready at the door, your breakfast items ready. Teaching your kids to help out and keep their mornings organized is key to getting them out of the house. We put the six oldest kids in the car and Alex took them to school. Marilu and Ila wanted braids today… little braids make me laugh.
8:30 am
Spending time with my very naughty baby who insists on wearing sunglasses and is very independent. We had some fun before filming the day’s TLC!
5:00
The kids come home and we start the night together. They have different activities depending on the day and getting them to attend classes in the city is a challenge. Everyone has to get along. I often try to find places where several of my children can enjoy activities together. This is one of the advantages of kids at this age – they can often participate in the same activities.
We eat, bathe and do homework with them.’ We all cook dinner and Carmen loves cooking. Teaching them to help with household chores is an important part of our parenting philosophy. We get into the habit of bathing and cooking as soon as they get home from school.
They lined up in birth order and took this picture to show off their bags…I may or may not have bribed them with candy. I always think the bags they choose each year say a lot about their personalities and ages, and I love capturing that. This kid doesn’t go to school, but Romeo has had this bag since he was a baby, and it’s so cute they want to wear it and pretend they go to school with their siblings!
6:00
Everyone showered, put on pajamas and ate dinner. My motto is: strive for a structured routine, but always maintain a sense of humor and be flexible to the wildness that comes with having seven kids. Being too strict and rigid will only cause stress and frustration. Let’s get some homework done…and get the attention off the kids!
6:30 PM
The little ones started coming down to read with Alex at night. It’s so nice to see him with them… they love listening to stories with Daddy.
7:30 PM
The kids were hanging out. Carmen and Leo love art and Marvin’s magic pen! Screen time is a big challenge for parents these days, and I’m grateful for activities that spark their creativity. Seeing them do little things together makes me happy. As their mom, nurturing their bond is my main focus. I hope they will always remain good friends.
8:30 p.m
After the kids went to bed, Alex and I had a date night. Spending time together has helped us get through many good times and some challenging times in our relationship. When we got married and had kids he said: You are my wife and the mother of our children, but I also expect you to always be my girlfriend.
