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Forget 9-to-5. Mothering knows no schedule—and often it feels more like 5-to-9 and everything in between. In this new series, we look at the hectic, messy, sometimes beautiful, often frustrating enterprise of being a mother—and maintaining a life of your own. Consider it a “day in the life” for the forgotten hours. Read our first installment, from Jemima Kirke. And the latest, from Hilaria Baldwin.
I wake up before everyone else in the house to get things ready for the day and have a little me time. I check my Oura ring to see my sleep. I try to have a sense of humor about how bad my score usually is. Because: What is sleep when you have seven kids, 11 and under? I wash up and these are my products!
I get a glass of water and make coffee, then take our puppies out on our balcony. I made a grass patch for them, which has been such a city life saver!
My kids are still sleeping and I head out for my run. I have been using the Beats Pro recently and they stay put while I work out. My favorite running shoes are Whitin women’s minimalist barefoot because I like to feel the ground when I run. My trusty fanny pack is falling apart, but I’m emotionally attached to it and it fits my phone perfectly. Running calms me and helps me stay focused throughout the day, and NYC is so peaceful in the morning.
I have ADHD and since I was little, I learned I had to move my body every day in order to feel centered and focused and my best self. It’s not surprising that I made exercise my job. Even when I would teach yoga all day long, I would find my workout “me time” in between teaching classes; it’s always been necessary for my mental health. Now that I have kids, I fit in working out when it’s most convenient for my kids. Usually this means before they wake up or in between work and meetings. On weekends, my kids are home, but I have learned to free myself from guilt by telling them that I need to take care of myself too—body and mind. I hope they see it as an invitation for them to live the same way.
After my run, I bathe, dress and feed the kids breakfast (it’s as chaotic and wild as you can imagine). We have found that preparation the night before is essential: outfits picked out, backpacks ready by the door, all ingredients ready to go for breakfast. Teaching the kids to help out and that there is an order to our mornings is key to getting them out the door. We get the oldest six in the car, and Alec takes them to school. Today Marilú and Ila wanted pigtails…the tiny baby pigtails crack me up.
Time to hang out with my very sassy baby who insists on sunglasses and is very independent. We get to play a bit before I get ready to film with TLC for the day!
The kids get home and we start our evening together. Depending on the day, they have different activities and it’s quite a puzzle, trying to move them around town to their classes. It’s all hands on deck for chaperoning. I often try to find places that will have activities for a few of my kids at once. It’s one of the perks about having kids so close in age—they can often be in the same activities.
We are with them for dinner and bathing and homework. We all make dinner, and Carmen loves to cook too. Teaching them to help around the house is very much a part of our parenting philosophy. As soon as they get in the door after school, we have a routine of washing up and eating.
They lined up in birth order and took this pic to show their backpacks…I may or may not have bribed them with candy after. I always feel like whatever backpack they choose each year says so much about their personality and age, and I love to capture it. The baby doesn’t go to school, but this backpack has been around since Romeo was a baby and it’s so cute how each of them have wanted to wear it and pretend they are in school with their siblings too!
Everyone has bathed, changed into pj’s and had dinner. My motto is: Attempt organized routine, but always having a sense of humor and flexibly in rolling with the wildness that seven kids bring. Being too strict and rigid will just bring us stress and disappointment. We get some homework done...and a little distraction from the baby!
The little ones start to go down for the night and read with Alec. It’s so cute to watch them with him. They love this story time with their daddy.
The kids are hanging out. Carmen and Leo love art and Marvin’s magic pens! Screen time is such a battle for parents these days and I’m grateful for activities that bring out their creativity. Watching them with their little conversations together warms my heart. Fostering their closeness is one of my main focuses in being their mother. I hope they will always be lifelong best friends.
Alec and I have date night, once the kids are in bed. Taking time together has helped us through much good and some challenging times in our relationship. When we got married and started having kids, he said: You are my wife and the mother of our kids, but I want you always to be my girlfriend too.
