Domestic Engineering: Productivity During the Early Years

Some days I get angry when I am unable to complete what I set out to do.

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Other days I recognize my limitations and am able to accept them as a good gift from the Lord.

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Every day God is using my circumstances, strengths, and weaknesses to make me more like him.

Checklists: some people hate them, some people love them. I definitely fall into the latter group of people. To this day, I will write tasks I've already completed on any given day simply to be able to check them off. I love feeling productive.

Then the Lord blessed us with children. Having three kids in less than four years has redefined productivity for me. About every three months, our family dynamics change. Immobile, sitting up, crawling, walking, talking. The rate at which children grow and change in the first few years is mind-boggling.

Our baby turned a year this past April. As I look back on the last few years, I've decided I have four stages of productivity in this season of young kids. It looks something like this:

PREGNANCY

• Brain Status: Processing all information at quarter speed. 
• Physical Status: Feeling like I've been trying to run a marathon even though I've simply gone from the bedroom to the kitchen. 
• Goals: Keep the family clothed and fed, take a prenatal vitamin, drink lots of water, and try to keep the bathroom clean. 
• Concern about Productivity: None.
• Reality of Life: Surviving. 

NEWBORN TO 3-MONTH-OLD STAGE

• Brain Status: In a fog, but returning to normal. 
• Physical Status: Sleep deprived. 
• Goals: Same as pregnancy with the addition of two more. First, shower before Geoffrey gets home from work. Second, help the other children adjust to a new family member. 
• Concern about Productivity: Low.
• Reality of Life: Nursing tons and surviving. 

3 TO 6-MONTH-OLD STAGE

• Brain Status: Functioning at about 80% capacity. 
• Physical Status: Feeling back to normal. 
• Goals: Figuring out what our new norm as a family is going to be. 
• Concern about Productivity: High.
• Reality of Life: Feeling frustrated that I feel great, but am unable to whittle away at my to-do list. 

BABY 6+ MONTHS STAGE

• Brain Status: Back to normal. (It's worth noting that my brain capacity will likely never again be as it was before kids.) 
• Physical Status: Getting back into shape. 
• Goals: Love and serve my family. Manage my home well. 
• Concern about Productivity: High.
• Reality of Life: Still have way too lofty of goals, but am now able to complete some tasks each week. 

As you can see from the above list, I'm currently in the stage of hitting our stride as far as our family routine goes. Currently, I am able to complete one task a week beyond my regular responsibilities. Did I mention my definition of being productive has changed since having kids?

Due to my enjoyment of this season, we are about to embark on a series about managing the home. Before beginning this series, I have a couple of preemptive disclaimers:

Managing the Home Disclaimers

1) I do NOT have this all figured out. While I aspire to manage my home well, it's easy for me to focus on the urgent over the important.

There are times I've put my "need" for a clean bathroom over caring for my daughters' hearts. I may be in the room with my children, but not engaged because I'm more concerned about the latest text I've received. Working hard can be God-honoring but when it becomes what I live for, it's sin.

2) The ideas I share with you about how I manage our home are what works for me during this season. That does not mean it will work a year from now for me, or that it will work for you now. While I hope you will find some useful nuggets, I am under no illusion that I will be sharing "one size fits all" ideas.

The Why

Proverbs 31:27 describes the excellent wife as follows:

"She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness."

My desire is that this series will encourage you to serve your family with excellence. Not as a to-do list that affects your standing before God, but as a way to show Christ's love to your household.

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* Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels.