The Ultimate Mom Tips You Wish You Knew Sooner

Alessandra | Posted on December 19, 2024 |

Here are my very best mom tips and advice that I wish I had learned sooner. Keep reading for the go-to list of tips you didn’t even know you needed!

Sometimes it’s hard to know what the best mom tips are. Everyone around you is probably spewing crazy tips left and right, it can be hard to know what you should and shouldn’t do sometimes. And here’s the thing…you won’t know what to do a lot of the time. That’s just life as a mom! But what’s most important is listening to your gut and knowing you are doing your best with every choice you make! Motherhood is a journey like no other. It’s filled with highs, lows, surprises, and lessons. Sometimes you’ll have a handle on everything and some days will feel like you’re just surviving. That’s why I’m sharing this long list of completely practical tips you need to know when you’re a mom, so keep reading!

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As a mom of 3 kids myself I have caught myself thinking, I wish someone had told me this sooner! Sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone. With that being said, over time, we all pick up little nuggets of wisdom that make life smoother, happier, and more fulfilling. That’s why I’ve compiled this ultimate list of mom tips, 50 of them to be exact, to help you navigate motherhood like a pro! Whether you’re a new mom, seasoned mom, or somewhere in between, these tips will leave you nodding in agreement and ready to tackle the challenges of mom life with confidence.

50 Ultimate Mom Tips You Wish You Knew Sooner

Below are 50 of my very best tips as a mom of 3 kids ages 9, 7, and 4. I’m not saying I’m an expert, but as you go through many stages of motherhood and witness all the changes, there are sometimes you will be left thinking, “geeeesh, I wish I knew this sooner!” I have divided the tips below into a few sections. There’s tips for the early days of babies and toddlers, managing mom life, tips for your mental and emotional health, raising happy kids, and simplifying everyday chaos. So go ahead and read them all or find the section that works for the season of motherhood you’re in right now. Either way, I hope you enjoy these tips and they leave you feeling uplifted and less alone!

Mom Tips For the Early Days (Babies and Toddlers)

1. Accept the Mess

A clean house is nice and I’m all for tidiness, but a happy baby is better. Let go of perfection during this season of motherhood and know that a lived-in-looking home is totally normal!

2. Sleep When You Can

The old saying is “sleep when the baby sleeps” but that is nearly impossible (especially if this is not your first rodeo.) Make sleep a priority of course and allow yourself to rest and nap when you can. During the first few weeks, your rest is more important than the laundry.

3. Buy Secondhand/Accept Hand-Me-Downs

Babies outgrow things fast. Like insanely fast. That cute little outfit you spent $30 on for your baby to come home from the hospital in…will fit him/her 2 times. Save money by thrifting baby gear when you can or accept hand-me-downs from friends, family, or community members!

4. Master Babywearing

Find a good baby carrier that is comfortable and easy to use! It will become your best friend. Babywearing means you get hands-free cuddles while also getting stuff done around the house. Plus, you’ll have a calmer baby!

5. Double Up Crib Sheets

Being a mom means always being prepared! Layer a waterproof mattress protector between two crib sheets for easier nighttime cleanup. You never know when your baby may pee through a diaper for spit up everywhere. And the last thing you want to be doing at 2 AM is cleaning up messes. Also, you can never have enough crib sheets!

6. Freeze Meals Before Baby Arrives

Pick a few easy-to-freeze meals like soups, lasagna, or smoothies you can make BEFORE the baby comes. That way you have healthy meals prepared during the tough first few weeks home. You’ll thank yourself during those sleep-deprived newborn weeks.

7. Bath Time Hack

I wish I knew this one way sooner! Use a laundry basket in the tub to keep toys near your baby and help your baby from slipping around. This one only works for a baby who is sitting up unassisted. Of course, never leave your baby alone in the bathtub!

8. Create a Diaper Station in Every Room

Or at least create one in the living room and the baby’s room, wherever you are spending most of your time! This convenience will help save your sanity during diaper blowouts.

9. Let Them Explore Safely

Once your baby is moving around, typically around 6 months, you’ll want to let them explore their space independently and safely! Baby-proof your house of course, but also let your little one crawl and discover. This helps to builds confidence and curiosity. And having a safe space to let them do this, gives you some sanity from not having to watch their every move.

10. Track Feeds and Sleeps (But Don’t Obsess)

You’ll want to track when your baby eats so you know they are getting enough. And you’ll want to track their sleep too. Apps can help you track patterns, but don’t stress over perfection. Strict schedules aren’t needed in the early months and it’s better to just go with the flow.

Tips For Managing Mom Life

11. Meal Prep Like a Pro

Try meal prepping snacks and simple meals on Sundays to make your week easier. If this doesn’t sound like something you can manage, try packing up lunch boxes the night before you need them for a smoother morning. Or when you go grocery shopping, wash a cut all fruit and veggies before putting it away so you actually eat it. Doing simple things to plan ahead can make mom life easier.

12. Create a Family Command Center:

As your family grows, life gets busier! A calendar, whiteboard, and/or filing system can help keep everyone’s schedule on track. I keep just a regular wall calendar in my kitchen and write down every appointment/event on it so everyone can see what’s coming up. This helps keep everyone organized and helps so we don’t forget anything!

13. Outsource What You Can:

Sometimes you need a little extra help in certain seasons of motherhood. It’s okay to hire help, swap babysitting with friends, or order groceries online. Streamlining some things can help you feel less stressed and have time for the important things.

14. Set Up a Daily Routine

Humans are creatures of habit. Which is why kids thrive on structure and routine! A consistent daily rhythm, starting at a young age makes life smoother and easier for everyone!

15. Embrace Batch Cleaning

Just like each day should have structure, your cleaning routines can too! Focus on one type of cleaning per day (e.g., laundry on Monday, bathrooms on Tuesday). This way, you’re staying on top of chores and cleaning smaller messes consistently instead of waiting for one big mess that ends up being too overwhelming and taking forever to get done.

16. Start a “Toy Rotation” System

I honestly wish I could keep up with this but I just done. There are many benefits to rotating your children’s toys thought. It ultimately keeps them exciting because the toys seem new. Plus it can help you reduce clutter in your home. Here’s a good resource for getting started on your toy rotation journey. This mom has lots of great ideas to help you work on independent play with your kids and she even has a toy rotation download!

17. Use a Timer for Overwhelming Tasks

Do you ever find yourself racing against the microwave? haha! Like there’s 60 seconds left until your food is done, how much can you get done before it beeps? Well, setting a timer for more daunting tasks can be like that. Set a timer for 5 minutes and commit to cleaning one thing or folding laundry. I think you’ll be amazed by how much you can get done and how these tasks don’t actually take as long as you might think. Extra tip: Give yourself a little treat for completing a task, like some ice cream, chocolate, or watching your favorite show. A little bribery goes a long way. 😉

18. Simplify Your Mornings

An easy, stress-free morning starts with a really great evening routine. Pack bags, set out clothes/shoes, and prep lunches the night before so your mornings aren’t a mad rush. This can help reduce anxiety in your kids and you’ll be less likely to see tears each morning before school.

19. Stockpile Essentials

There’s nothing worse than doing your bedtime routine only to find out at 7:00 you don’t have anymore pullups. Or whatever! I don’t stockpile many things, but those essentials are a must. Keep extras of diapers, wipes, and even a few snacks on hand to avoid late-night emergency runs.

20. Teach Kids to Help Early

Teach your children that everyone helps out around the house because you all live there. Even toddlers can help pick up their toys or put dirty laundry in a basket. And chances are, they want to help out mama. Acting like an adult is every kid’s favorite thing to do!

Mom Tips For Your Mental and Emotional Health

*This is my own opinion and experience, it is not meant to be medical advice.

21. Prioritize Self Care

Before you tell me you don’t have time for yourself, let me stop you right there. Self care is so much more than long baths, massages, and vacations. Self care is the way you take care of YOU daily. So get up, take a quick shower, put on real clothes and makeup, and eat breakfast. That’s all self care! If you have time to sit on your phone for 10 minutes every morning, you have time for self care.

22. Say No Without Guilt

It might take some practice, but it’s ok to say no. Protect your time and energy by saying no to commitments that overwhelm you or don’t serve you and your family. If someone has a problem with you saying no, that’s a them problem, not yours!

23. Practice Gratitude

Staying positive and remembering all you have to be grateful for can keep your mindset healthy and help you enjoy motherhood more. Keep a gratitude journal to write down one thing you’re grateful for each morning and even discuss it with your kids. It’s such a great lesson for them. Grateful parents raise grateful kids!

24. Find Your Mom Tribe

This one is SO important. I know social media likes to glorify staying home alone and not talking to people, but you NEED mom friends. Surround yourself with supportive moms who lift you up. Create your own tribe of moms you can rely on, talk to, and enjoy spending time with. It makes motherhood so much more fun!

25. Ask for Help

I’m so guilty of being that mom who’s like “I do it the right way so I don’t need help because it’s easier for me to just do it.” But, you’re not meant to do this alone! Yes you can care for your children best, no one else will try to take your place, but you must lean on your partner, family, or friends or help. You can’t do everything and asking for help doesn’t not make you weak.

26. Let Go of Comparison

I know it’s so cliche, but comparison is the thief of joy. If there is one tip you take from this list, make it this one. Social media will make you feel like you’re doing everything wrong, but remember it is a highlight reel, it’s not the full story. Focus on your own journey because it’s all yours and it’s beautiful!

27. Schedule Time for You

It’s ok to want a break from your kids. In fact, I think it’s pretty normal to want a break from anyone you are around daily. And your kids might even need a break from you! So whether it’s a workout, your favorite hobby, or a quiet coffee, make sure to carve out time for yourself. This teaches your children that it’s important to take a break and they matter!

28. Embrace Imperfection

You will never be a perfect mom so quit the perfectionism. There’s a million ways to be a really good mom and you don’t have to be Supermom. Your kids just need you! They want time with you, they want to feel loved and have fun together. That’s what is most important.

29. Celebrate Small Wins

You celebrate all your baby’s milestones, like crawling, eating, walking, getting a tooth, so why not celebrate your own? You’re growing as a mother during this time too so celebrate. Got the baby down for a nap? WIN! Washed and folded the laundry in one day? You’re absolutely crushing it!

30. Learn to Reframe Bad Days

Everyone has a bad day now and then, even moms. And it’s not because you’re a bad mom it’s because you’re human. We all have tough days, we all make mistakes. But even those tough days can teach you something valuable. Reframe those bad days and find the positive in them, even if it’s just one small positive note.

Mom Tips For Raising Happy Kids

I don’t mean to brag here, but I’ve been told by multiple people and teachers that my kids are awesome. They are funny, smart, well-behaved, good listeners, kind to everyone, and are curious. I can tell you I am not perfect, I don’t have this down to a science and I have plenty of bad days. I have days when I yell too much, I’m grouchy, and tired. But everyday I do these things I’ve listed below. Are they the end all be all? Probably not. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I often feel I’m messing up, but when multiple people are telling you these things, there must be some rhyme or reason right?

31. Choose Connection Over Perfection

Being together is way more important that everything else. Your kids don’t care if your house is spotless, if you drive a nice car, or have the most fashionable clothes. But they’ll remember the love and attention you gave, they will remember exactly how they felt. So create moments of connection with cuddles and snuggles, give lots of hugs and kisses, eat meals together as a family, take walks, and enjoy the time you have together.

31. Validate Their Feelings

I will never forget once I felt terrible for not feeling bad about something I should have been more sad about and someone said to me, “your feelings are valid.” And it was eye-opening, it made me feel so much better hearing that simple phrase! Teach your children emotional intelligence by acknowledging their emotions instead of dismissing them. It’s as simple as saying, “I know you feel sad about this” and giving a hug instead of saying, “stop crying!”

33. Encourage Independence

Teaching your children independence is so important and I think they thrive in that feelings of doing things on their own! Let them try new things, even if they fail. It’s important to fail, learn the mistake, and try again.

34. Set Clear Boundaries

Setting boundaries from a young age provides structure and safety for your children. Kids feel safer when they know the rules and consequences. As much as kids will say they don’t like rules, they know deep down that rules are set by loving parents who care. Boundaries can be as silly as letting your kids know when the bathroom door is shut, they cannot come in because you deserve the privacy. And they can be a strict as a 7:00 sharp bedtime or cleaning up your own messes.

35. Read Together Daily

Reading together is so important for multiple reasons. I have read to my kids everyday before naps and bedtime since they were little babies. It’s one of the best ways to bond, as you get close and snuggle while reading. Plus it boosts their development by encouraging creativity, improving language skills, cognitive skills, vocabulary, and more! My 2 older kids can read themselves now and they still read every night before bed for a little while.

36. Create Special Traditions

Create your own family traditions no matter how big or small. Consistent rituals build lifelong memories and also help your children feel a part of something bigger. These traditions don’t have to be holiday related either. It can be getting ice cream on the last day of school every year, going camping in the summer, or having backyard campfires in the fall. These traditions build connection and help your family to bond.

37. Be a Good Listener

When your kids talk to you, give them your full attention. When they are little kids and tell you everything, listen to all those little things. Because one day those little “problems” will become big things and you still want them to tell you those things as they get older! Start listening now, so they continue to talk as they grow.

38. Praise Effort, Not Just Results

It’s not about the good grade or coming in first place, it’s about how hard your kids are trying. Build their confidence by focusing on hard work and perseverance. Like they say about art, it’s about the process, not the product. It’s about the hard work put into something, not the outcome of it. Praise your kids for trying their best, tell them you’re proud of them and remind them they should be proud of themselves as well!

39. Say “I Love You” Often

There’s no such thing as saying “I love you” too much, so say it multiple times a day! To think there are families that don’t say “I love you” daily is mind-blowing to me. But it’s something so simple and can have such a huge impact on your kid’s emotional development.

40. Be Present

We live in a time where distractions are plentiful. But it’s important to be present and sometimes that needs to be more intentional. Put your phone down, turn the TV off and soak in the moments that matter most. Set rules around phone time like no phones in the morning before school, no phones at bedtime, or at the dinner table. This allows everyone to be the most present during the most important parts of the day.

Mom Tips For Simplifying Everyday Chaos

No matter how much you plan and the schedules you follow, motherhood can get crazy and well, things don’t always go as planned. Here are a few tips to help you deal with the chaos.

41. Always Keep a “Mom Bag” Ready

I suggest keeping this in your car just in case. Stock your bag (it can be a plastic bag) with snacks, wipes, diapers, extra clothes, and a few small toys. This is great if you end up somewhere longer than you planned or you forgot something in your diaper bag.

42. Create a “Go Bag” for Emergencies

Who knew you’d need so many bags as a mom?!😂 Have an emergency bag that includes essentials like a change of clothes, first aid, and extra diapers. Keep it in your closet in case you ever need to go somewhere fast, because you just never know!

43. Use a Laundry Basket for Quick Pickups

Chances are you have a few laundry baskets sitting around. If you ever need to just do a quick clean up because the mess is driving you nets, grab the basket and toss stray items in it quickly. Then you can sort everything out later.

44. Set Boundaries with Screen Time

Screen time is of course a hot topic, and I truly think it’s personal devices such as tablets and phones that are more of a problem than TV, but suggest setting firm boundaries around it all for everyone’s sanity. If there are days you watch a lot of TV because the weather is yucky or someone is sick, that’s fine, it’s going to happen. But having rules around it all to balance tech use with outdoor play and creativity is super important for everyone’s sanity!

45. Have a Kitchen Dance Party

If everyone is in a mood and you feel yourself on the brink of a mental break down, turn up the music! Music is a quick mood booster for everyone, plus add a little dancing and watch those tears change to laughter. Or turn on a slow song, hold your baby/toddler close and just rock to the music. It can be great little break to calm everyone.

46. Stock Up on Quiet Time Activities

Quiet time activities are a great way to simply get peace and quiet! If you need a break, puzzles, coloring books, and audiobooks can save the day! Keep a variety of activities around your house and suggest them to your kids when they say they’re bored or the sound levels in your house get a little too high.

47. Plan for Downtime

You don’t need to be on-the-go all the time to have happy kids or feel like a good mom. In fact, slowing down is essential for everyone’s well-being and you might find those “boring” down days are everyone’s favorite type of days. So, don’t overbook your schedule because you think you have to. Kids need time to decompress too.

48. Keep Snacks in the Car

Snacks are LIFE! haha! And a hangry child (or mom!) is never fun. Plus if you have picky eaters like me, you’ll want to save yourself by keeping a few favorite snacks in the car.

49. Keep Up With Chores

Keeping up with chores throughout the day can help keep everything balanced. Don’t wait until the end of the day to clean a huge sink full of dishes because at that point, it’s a huge, daunting mess and you’re not going to want to do it. Instead, clean dishes after each meal which will realistically only take 5 minutes or so. Do 2 or 3 little chores each day to keep the house clean instead of waiting until the weekend to do it all. Keeping up with it will help you to stick to good cleaning routines and you’ll realize your home might even stay pretty clean more often!

50. Make Time for Laughter

A good laugh can turn a rough day around! Sometimes fun needs to be a little more intentional for some moms. Hi! I’m some moms. 🙃 So make sure each day you relax a bit, say yes when you normally wouldn’t, and laugh and be goofy with your kids. Even if it’s something that needs to be intentional for you, it’s still so easy to do.

51. Extra Tip: Let your kids be kids!

Above all else, your kids are only little for so long so just let them be kids! Let them be silly and mess up. Allow them to make messes and play in the rain. Let them believe in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter bunny. Childhood is so fleeting and creating a space where your kids can be kids and live in true innocence is really important in this fast-paced, technology heavy world! Of all the mom tips I’ve listed in this blog, this is my favorite one. Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Final Thoughts

Motherhood is full of learning curves, but having a toolkit of go-to tips can make a world of difference. It’s good to take some mom tips from seasoned moms and run with them. Remember, you’re doing an amazing job, even on the days it feels hard. Take these tips, tweak them to fit your family, and don’t forget to give yourself grace! After all, the best moms aren’t perfect—they’re present, loving, and willing to learn. You’ve got this!

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