How to Be a Fun Mom (Even if You’re Stressed)

If you asked your kids if you are a fun mom, what do you think they would say? Do they know you are or are you too consumed with all of your adulting to pay attention to them? 

I think every mom has a little bit of mom guilt no matter what… trust me… I’ve been there. But your kids need a mom who knows how to be happy and can have fun with them too. 

It can be so hard to be present and there for your kids when you have so much to do and it all falls on your shoulders. 

Here are some ways to be a fun mom even if you’re so stressed and have so much going on. 

When I had my first baby, I was so overwhelmed learning everything for the first time that I couldn’t stop and take a break to be happy and actually ENJOY it. 

My goal was to be really intentional and learn how to enjoy motherhood before I blinked and it was all over. 

If I’m telling the truth, it didn’t come naturally which sounds so weird. But… I just didn’t know how to have fun… and be a mom at the same time. 

I didn’t even think the two could go in the same category together. 

So, I worked really hard at it. And now I can honestly say I enjoy being a mother more than anything else in the world. 

I went from being uptight and stressed to a mom who can have fun and play. I will share with you how.

1. Have real conversations about things they are INTERESTED in. Real conversations. Don’t talk to them like they are kids. 

Talk to them like people. Be INTERESTED in what they have to say. 

I bet you haven’t asked your kids any real questions about their life without them having to bring it up to you. 

 2. Read their favorite book with them. If they are younger, you can have them pick some books to read. And if they are older, you can read what they are reading for school or for fun together. 

This will bring up conversations and so many things for you to talk about with them. 

You can discuss the different characters together and bond over this.

3. Let them skip a day at school. If your kids only ever get to skip school when they’re sick, they are probably going to be “sick”more often. 

Let them skip school and take them to do something fun. If you can’t miss an entire day, pick them up early and take them to the park or to see a movie. 

On Fridays, my son gets out of school an hour early. 

We always try to take him to do something really fun that he loves. This really creates the best memories for all of us. 

It also gives him something to look forward to at the end of the week.

4. Do something they LOVE. If they love crafts, do a craft with them. If they love football, play with them. 

As parents, it can be so easy to turn on “auto” and get everything done around the house. 

There will ALWAYS be SO MUCH TO DO.

When is the last time you stopped and spent quality time with your kids, doing something THEY want to do. 

After all, I am sure you make them do a BUNCH of things that you want to do. So, do something they want to do. 

And stop making the excuse that you “don’t have enough time.” Because if it was something you wanted to do, you would make the time. 

5. Play a Game. Kids of all ages love games. If they are little, you can play hide and seek. Or a simple game with their toys. If they are older, you can do something like a board game or would you rather. 

There are so many games to play with your kids to get them talking to you. 

And this is a good activity to do that you can actually enjoy. 

6. Workout Together. My toddler LOVES to workout with me. I give him weights and a mat and he does the workouts with me. 

Older kids can learn to enjoy this too. They might not at first, but once you do it a few times it can be a really fun bonding experience. 

Even if you aren’t doing a traditional workout, you can try a sport or activity together that you know they’ll love. 

7. Spa Night. Let’s be real, everyone loves a spa night….. Even my husband. 

Your kids will too. We do facials, foot rubs, essential oil diffusers, the whole 9 yards. 

After a long week at work, this is also a great activity to do with your kids that is also relaxing. 

My toddler loves to do what I am doing and washes his face with me all the time. He thinks it’s so fun to do things like this. And if you have a girl, she’ll probably love it even more. 

8. Move Night (with a fort). Turn on a family movie, make a fort, and bust out the popcorn. You will have a good time and your kids will too. 

They will love that you are playing with them and enjoying it too. 

1. Creating a Schedule - I know right.... how can a schedule be fun???? This is what I did differently that actually helped me be a fun mom. I used to have a schedule and it was ALWAYS full. 

I learned to incorporate ME time into the schedule. 

But I also incorporated time to play with my kids and have family time. 

Before, my schedule was go go go and no time for anything or anyone. I was stressed and I was stressing everyone else out. 

After I started adding time to play with my kids and time for myself, I was so much less stressed. 

I set aside 10-15 minutes every day strictly to do something my kids want to do and only whatever they want. And I do it completely uninterrupted. It isn’t even that much time, but it makes a world of difference. 

2. Taking care of myself. - The time I lost myself the most in motherhood is when I spent all of my time taking care of everyone else and completely letting myself go. 

When I got pregnant with my second, this totally changed. 

I made time to get ready every single morning. I made time for breaks in the day. I made time to workout, even if I had to wake up early. And I just made it work. 

I started seeing the biggest difference in my life when I started to take care of myself. My husband was happier and my kids were too. Because I could take care of them so much better. 

When I started to eat healthy, workout and balanced my hormones, I started to feel like a new person. 

I was a mom who had energy, who didn’t have mood swings, and who could PLAY with her kids. 

I became the mom I always wanted to be. 

But I couldn’t take care of my kids until I learned to take care of myself. 

3. Prioritized Dating. - yes, I am married. Yes, you should date your husband.

Just because you have kids, doesn’t mean your romance has to be dead. 

A marriage is only as alive as you make it. 

It is so easy to be a roommate with your significant other. Some people go 30+ years this way. 

But I wanted to always feel the same spark I felt when we met. 

And to do this, that means we date each other. 

I dress up, we go out, we kiss and it’s great. 

4. Pick Your Battles - This was a hard lesson to learn. Everything was “SO IMPORTANT” that I couldn’t be relaxed about anything. 

I had to learn, as a wife and a mother, to pick and choose my battles. 

Don’t sweat the small stuff and give your ALL to things that really matter. 

Yes, your husband might drop the kids off late to school, but do you want to die on that hill??? Probably not 

Your kids might be wearing every color and pattern in the rainbow, but at least they are dressed. 

Learn to take things less seriously, and remember THIS IS THEIR CHILDHOOD. And you only get ONE shot at motherhood. 

Doing all of these things really helped me be a more fun version of myself and a fun mom for my kids.