Day in the life of a SAHM

 

So what do you do the entire day? A lot of SAHMs are asked this question day in and day out.  Thankfully, I haven't directly faced this question but I anyway thought of penning down what exactly I do, rather did from the time I woke up today. So here goes -

7:30 AM - Woke up bleary-eyed after a broken night of sleep because the little one had woken up multiple times asking for her beloved car toothbrush — packaging included, of course.

7:40 AM - Finally out of bed, mentally listing the day’s tasks before my feet even touched the floor. Morning routine done quietly while trying not to wake her up. Warm water in hand, husband seen off for the day, brain already running at full speed.

8:10 AM - Quick shower done. Straight into the kitchen, silently praying she continues sleeping for just a little longer. Breakfast prep begins. I had thankfully planned weekday breakfasts in advance, so uttapam batter was ready to go. Milk boiling, vegetables chopped, rice and dal washed, lunch prep done. Oh, the vessels washed last night need to be sorted out as well. 

8:45 AM - Still asleep. Rare and glorious. I start making uttapams, lest it gets late. Breakfast is ready for both of us in 15 minutes.

9:00 AM -Time to wake her up for summer camp. The next half hour disappears into toddler negotiations: brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating breakfast, convincing, distracting, cuddling, repeating.. Now, I hate rushing her. She is just 3, has started on summer camp to get a feel of how school might be, and I do not want her to feel rushed soon as she is up. So I let her take her time in these tasks.

10:15 AM - Back after drop-off. Technically, this was my “free time.” Or is it?

I quickly finish my breakfast, make a quick call to mom and start off with the remaining chores. The usual dusting, sweeping, mopping easily takes an hour. You see, there is something to be done every day. Laundry, cleaning cabinets, clearing stuff out - all of it are small tasks but do take time and effort! I quickly finish cooking lunch and look at the clock, it is 11:50!

11:50 AM – I finally get some time to check my phone – mails, whatsapp and Facebook. I prefer to skip the addictive social media and sit down to write a blog instead. 15 - 20 minutes of it and it's time to get ready to pick her up. So I get ready and take her favorite toy to pick her up from school.

12:45 PM- Back home after pickup. Bath time for the little one because summer heat and toddlers are a chaotic combination. Some chatting, some playing, and then it's time for lunch!

1:30 - 2:30 PM- Lunch time. Also implies story time! We eat our lunch with stories being told continuously as a form of mealtime entertainment. Today it is "Alibaba and the 40 thieves". Sometimes she is too bored of eating on her own and needs to be fed. I quickly finish my lunch and continue with the story and her lunch.

2:30 PM– We read a couple of books before she drifts off to sleep. That's her favorite activity before her afternoon nap.

3:10 PM- The little one is finally asleep! YAY! Now is my real me-time. Depending on my mood, I choose between the options I have - mindlessly browse the Internet, scroll through social media, promote my online store, write blogs, take part in online surveys for that extra pocket money, or just check destinations for our next trip. In short, these 2 hours is what keeps me sane! Hubby is mostly back before she wakes up and we get some time to catch up with the day's activities.

5:15 PM- She wakes up and wants us to cuddle and play with her. After 15-20 minutes of play and a quick snack, we head out for a walk to the nearby lake while squeezing in grocery shopping and conversations about absolutely random toddler things.

7:00 PM- Back home. A spray painting activity was promised earlier in the day, and this was to be fulfilled of course because toddlers never forget promises. Husband takes over entertaining duties while I sort dinner and simultaneously discuss recipes with my mother over the phone

7:30 - 8:00 PM - Dinner together as a family. More stories, this time usually narrated by dad while I finally got to eat slightly more peacefully, giving inputs to the Ramayana story that is being told, every few minutes!

8:30 PM - Kitchen cleanup begins. Counters wiped. Dishes sorted. Floor swept (because I am pedantic with possible OCD 😄)

9:00 PM - Kitchen closed for the day. I am drained but toddler's energy level? Fully operational at 100%! She swings in between sofa handles, climbs on top of us, and ensures we are not left in peace for even a single moment! I try to grab in few minutes for myself but it seems close to impossible when she is awake!

10:00 PM - Time for a night bath, quick massage and change of clothes. As dear husband takes care of this, I finish off other pending tasks. I sit with the iPad, trying to continue writing, but it is story-time soon! So we both read a few books to her before calling it a day.

11:00 PM – Lights out, time to sleep. But is it that easy? Not really. Because bedtime involved a complete retelling of her entire day. What she did, what she ate, who she met, what her favourite part was. Only after that does she finally settle down to sleep.. I now have two options – cuddle with her and wait for her to sleep, so I can login later to finish the blog (and browse of course!), or just surrender and sleep with her.

I wisely choose the latter and doze off with her, planning to wake up early to finish the blog!

So yeah, that is pretty much how the day goes by. It is usually the same most days. Of course, there are cheat days when I opt for me-time to mopping the house, when I switch on the TV for her for those extra 10 minutes to get some time for myself or when we decide to order pizza because we are a bit lazy to cook! But yes, with a kid around, one hardly gets time for oneself. Anything more than 2 hours a day (thank God for that!) seems like a huge bonus!

I get a lot of help from my husband, mom and in-laws ( whenever they are around) and I still feel this way! There are thousands of ladies out there who manage everything- Home, work, 3 meals, cleaning up after kids, laundry and multiple other things single handedly. So, the next time you have this urge to question a mom how she spends her day, think again!

PS: Getting to post this after 4 days of typing it. 

– The Mother Duck Says 🦆

Raising a Talkative Toddler: What Worked for Us!

 Like most new parents, I found myself reading everything I could about raising a child—especially when it came to speech and vocabulary. Everywhere I looked, the advice was the same: talk, talk, and talk some more.

I didn’t start particularly early. I do remember occasionally talking to my tummy and playing music during pregnancy (and yes, feeling those little kicks!), but I was never quite sure how much of that really mattered.

What I do know is this: I had a very talkative toddler.

She had a very short phase of baby gibberish and, quite quickly, began naming things, forming small sentences, and expressing her thoughts clearly—by around 14–15 months. Considering that both my husband and I weren’t particularly talkative people, this used to surprise us.

Looking back, here are a few things we did—some intentionally, many without even realising—that may have helped.

Amblyopia - the lesser known eye defect

The last summer holidays, we were visiting our homeland and catching up with a ton of relatives.

During one such get-together, a casual question came up—
“So, how come glasses? Does she watch a lot of TV or iPad?”

It was said lightly. Without malice. Almost routinely.

But in that moment, my mind travelled back a few years…
to an incident I had once written about.

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It Started as a Routine Check-Up

A few years ago, we had taken our daughter for her annual eye check-up.

As we waited, we reassured her—
“Just like the dental visit, we’ll be done in a few minutes.”

The doctor began with simple letters and numbers on a screen. For the first few slides, she answered confidently. We were relieved.

Then came slide four.

She hesitated.
Paused.
Turned her face away.

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That Subtle Shift

The next test involved an eye frame, with lenses being switched repeatedly.

What was supposed to be routine quickly turned into a struggle. After about 10 minutes, she was visibly tired—and deep down, we knew something wasn’t right.

My husband wasn’t too surprised.

He has Amblyopia, commonly known as lazy eye. His mother has it too. Ever since our daughter was born, he had been particular about getting her eyes checked.

I, on the other hand, had always had perfect vision. I believed—quite confidently—that these things usually come from the mother.

Well… turns out, that wasn’t entirely true.

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Waiting, Processing, Hoping

As eye drops were administered every 15 minutes for further tests, we sat there—processing it all.

We gently began preparing her for the idea of glasses.

To our surprise, she thought wearing them would be cool. That innocence brought a smile in the middle of our worry.

Thankfully, the doctor said she was too young for treatment or glasses for now and suggested a follow-up in a few months.

We walked out relieved—but with many questions.

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The Questions That Stayed

Why her?
At just 3 years old?
She barely had any screen time—hardly 20 minutes a day.

And yet, she had an eye power of 1.75.

That’s when I began reading more about Amblyopia.

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What is Amblyopia?

Amblyopia is a condition where the visual system doesn’t develop properly, leading to reduced vision in one (rarely both) eyes.

In simple terms, the brain starts ignoring signals from one eye, favouring the stronger one.

That’s why it’s called a lazy eye.

It typically develops from birth up to about 7 years of age.

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What Causes It?

Amblyopia can happen due to:

• Misalignment of the eyes (strabismus)
• Difference in vision clarity between the two eyes
• Astigmatism (irregular eye shape)
• Cataracts (less common in children)

Over time, the weaker eye gets used less, and the brain suppresses its input.

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Signs to Watch For

It’s not always obvious, but some signs include:

• One eye drifting inward or outward
• Squinting or shutting one eye
• Tilting the head to see clearly (this was a big one for us)
• Difficulty focusing
• Family history of eye conditions

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Why Early Detection Matters

The reassuring part is—Amblyopia can be treated.

And the earlier it’s caught, the better the outcome.

Treatment is most effective in childhood, especially before the teenage years.

My husband discovered his condition in Grade 12—by then, it was too late to fully correct it.

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Treatment Options

Depending on the case, treatment may include:

• Eye patches to strengthen the weaker eye
• Atropine eye drops to blur the stronger eye
• Glasses or lenses to correct vision differences
• Bangerter filters on glasses
• Surgery in more severe situations

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Coming Back to That Question…

“So, how come glasses? Too much screen time?”

Now I know—
the answer isn’t always that simple.

Sometimes, it’s genetics.
Sometimes, it’s how the eyes develop.
Sometimes, it has nothing to do with screens at all.

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A Gentle Reminder

That casual question wasn’t wrong—it’s just incomplete.

Because behind a child wearing glasses, there could be a story.
A diagnosis.
A journey that started much earlier than anyone sees.

So maybe, we pause before assuming.

And choose understanding over judgement.

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Final Thought

If there’s one thing this experience taught me, it’s this:

Don’t wait for signs. Get regular eye check-ups—especially if there’s family history.

Sometimes, what we catch early can make all the difference later.

– The Mother Duck Says 🦆

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Disclaimer

This post reflects personal experience and understanding. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice.