Ep. 65 Create More Time For Your Business by Hiring a Mother’s Helper with Taran Conwell
with Taran Conwell
Hey BRILLIANT mamas!
Do you feel at least somewhat burnt out all the time? Did you know you don’t have to live like that? Today I’m chatting with Taran Conwell, a brilliant mama on a mission to dismantle the watered-down version of self-care in today’s motherhood! We dive into what self-care should actually mean and how you can take some things off your plate, in a super budget-friendly way. Especially if you have young children at home, you’re going to love this episode!
"Stop doing so much. Yes I know you moms are saying "then who's gonna do it?" And I'd just like to say; your partner! You can get some help from a sitter. You can ask family. You can just take things off of your plate. Us mom's like to burn the candle at both ends with a lighter in the middle! I don't think that is what we're intended to be here for."
Discussed in this Episode...
Taran's Favorite Meal-Plan Tips
Taran’s thing is to get a base of what she calls the “Family Classics”. These are the recipes that you make on a consistent basis. A lot of times, things that we love and that are easy may be forgotten about, so it helps to have them in one spot written down.
She also loves utilizing leftovers! Some families are against it, but you can be strategic about using the recipes that make the best leftovers! We’re not microwaving fried chicken, right? But a casserole, a soup, a stew, or a chili make really nice leftovers. Having a leftover night is a dinner already made!
Taran also uses what she calls the “freezer section” meals. Don’t be afraid of a basic frozen pizza or bagged salad kit! Whipping up fish tacos is a breeze if you get tortilla crusted fish, and another bag salad kit. Just like that you have fish tacos, and they’re amazing! A lot of moms will save those meals for when they’re in a pinch, but Taran is more about planning for the pinches.
How Do We Even Know if We Need More Self-Care in Our Life?
It would almost be safe to say that if you’re reading this and you’re a mom, you’re not taking enough time for yourself. When Taran finds herself having less patience than normal, with small things sending her over the edge, that’s her sign that she’s probably in need of self care time.
Some of the moms she works with know they’re not doing well when they hole up, don’t reach out to friends, don’t respond to texts, and realize they’re not communicating well with their partner.
If you think about your baseline, you will know what “off” is for you. When it starts to creep on back, you can be aware of it. One way you can take some action is to stop doing do much. And yes, I know all the mommas out there are saying “then who is going to do it?” But there are times when you’ll need to delegate to your partner, or find a sitter, and take a few things off your plate.
What are Some Ways We can Realistically Take Things off Our Plate?
For many, budget could be a concern. Many times I hear the argument, and I myself have raised my hand and said, “I can’t afford to get help right now”. I just tried to do it all because we were on a really tight budget. I was trying to build a business so that I could hire a house cleaner, so that I could hire a babysitter, so I could send the kids to summer camp, but I just couldn’t right then.
But what can we do when we’re in that season? What do we do if we have no help?
An amazing place to start is by hiring a mother’s helper! A mother’s helper is a younger babysitter. For Taran, it’s someone between the ages of 11 and 14. They probably haven’t really babysat much, so they don’t have a lot of experience. They might be the oldest in their family, or have a lot of cousins or kids on their block that they help out with, they just have that more responsible personality. But they are a lot cheaper than babysitters because they still need experience! Often, junior high or even middle school age kids are starting to want more things and spending money to do stuff with their friends. Being a mother’s helper helps solve a problem for both themselves and for you!
Taran uses the following formula to pay a mother’s helper:
The grade of the mother’s helper, times the hours they work, plus one dollar per hour for each additional child.
When Taran was pregnant with her third child she hired a girl who was in 7th grade to come help for about 4 hours a week. With two little kids at home she was paying just $32 a week for help that made a huge difference!
What can Having a Mother's Helper Actually Help With?
The options are endless! What do you try and squeeze in during nap times or after the kids go to bed?
Some of us just need to be able to rest! When Taran was pregnant with her 3rd, she watched a show in her room to reenergize while the kids were entertained with the helper.
What work would you like to focus on without needed to get up and give the kids a snack or change a diaper?
You could have a home date night with your spouse!
Is there a home project you would like to work on without kiddos underfoot?
The sky is truly the limit!
More Discussed:
- Planning for an imperfect week
- What can a mother’s helper actually help with?
- Where do we find help like that?
More about Taran:
Taran Conwell is on a mission to dismantle the watered-down version of self-care in today’s motherhood. She advocates for millennial moms to ask for help, establish boundaries around their time, and regularly attend to their own needs. In a society that wants moms to do it all and be grateful for the opportunity, she’s empowering them to say no and take a freaking break.
More about Lani Jackson:
Lani is a mom to 6 kids, and wife to her husband of 15 years. She survives on caffeine, laughing with her kids, cooking in the kitchen, hiding in the pantry eating chocolate, and helping other women know they are not alone in the chaos of motherhood & their entrepreneur journey.
She is a Clarity & Strategy Coach for mom entrepreneurs! Helping them to create flexible strategies that adjust and move with the chaos of mom life, but still bring consistent monthly income. Her mission is to help mompreneurs get out of survival mode, release the mom guilt, and create a clear plan of action that will help them reach their dreams of consistent monthly income, flexibility, and freedom.