Working mom shares life hack that 'saved my sanity' during remote learning
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As a working mom of three young kids, I'm busy under normal circumstances. Add in a global pandemic, and it's borderline chaos in my house every. single. day.
We're now operating on a 'just do the best you can' mode, which means my kids might have bedhead all day and clean laundry will maybe-totally hang out in a heap until I get a breather at the end of the week. I mean, if everyone is happy and nobody is bleeding, we're all good. Sure, it's a little looser than I used to operate, but such is life these days.
My oldest son, who is eight, does remote learning in the same room where I work from home, while my 4-year-old and 1-year-old get into everything. By the time the weekend rolls around, mama's ready for a break. Except...I don't get one. My husband is a chef and works weekends, so it's often just me and the kiddos with plenty of free time to fill on Saturdays and Sundays. Cue me, ready to tear my hair out, by lunchtime on most Saturdays. Enter Walmart+, the retailer's new delivery service that saved my weekends (and my sanity).
Activities needed, stat!
In non-pandemic times, we'd go to the grocery store, play sports, hit up the local playground, or visit with friends. Right now, it's us, hanging out at home—again. While we've found fun ways to entertain ourselves, like backyard scavenger hunts and lots of free play, we usually need at least one activity a day to keep everyone from going wild. Oh, and we need groceries, too. That's something I usually end up forgetting before we completely run out of bananas. And that is not well tolerated by my kids, who just might revolt the next time it happens.
That's why I was so excited when I discovered Walmart+. You can get pretty much everything delivered, from fresh groceries to baking gear to Play-Doh, an essential ingredient in our house that we're forever needing to replace. You get your stuff fast—overnight, or in some cases, the very same day. There are no added fees. The signup was easy—a risk-free trial gives you 15 days, but, after taking a quick three-question survey, I was able to get two more weeks. After the 30 days are up, you’ll be charged $12.98 per month or $98 per year, depending on what you select.
Sign up for a free two-week trial of Walmart+ here.
The annual fee is similar to Amazon Prime, but you can get fresh produce delivered to your door, which Prime doesn't do in my area. The same-day option is also amazing for busy moms like me who don't quite feel comfortable toting three kids to a store during a pandemic.
Like a personal assistant on call
I decided to try it out on a rainy weekend, and I'm so, so glad I did. The process was beyond simple. I picked out my goods (paint! Pirate's Booty!) and chose a delivery window that was convenient for me. I received both email and text messages about my order status—handy, since I'm not usually in front of my computer on the weekends. The next morning, the package just showed up at my door thanks to contactless delivery.
I can't stress how vital this has become to me. It's like having a personal assistant who can help feed and entertain my family—something I really, really need these days.
Despite everyone being stuck indoors, I spent the weekend feeling like a total supermom. My kids were thrilled with the new activities (rock painting!) and snacks that arrived, our fridge was stocked, and I even got a moment to enjoy my coffee. You better believe I'll be relying on Walmart+ in the future. Now, can Walmart+ send over someone to clean my house?
Play-Doh Super Color 20-Pack
My kids couldn't tear into this 20-pack of Play-Doh fast enough. And, with this many color options, there were plenty of shades for them to create with.
Shop it: Play-Doh Super Color 20-Pack, $12, walmart.com
Bananas
Between smoothies and eating it straight from the peel, we go through at least 30 bananas a week—sometimes more. Basically, we're always in need of a banana delivery.
Shop it: Bananas, $0.10 each, walmart.com
Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar Cheese Puffs
Pirate's Booty is a treasure at my house—and we're forever running out of it. The individual serving bags make them easy to dispense.
Shop it: Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar Cheese Puffs, 6 count, $6, walmart.com
Crayola Washable Kids' Paint Set, 10-Colors
My kids will sit and paint for an hour, several times a week. This set from Crayola is washable, so I don't have to stress about spills.
Shop it: Crayola Washable Kids' Paint Set, 10-Colors, $5, walmart.com
BAND-AID, Nickelodeon Paw Patrol
Whether it's due to boo-boos or my 4-year-old's habit of wearing BAND-AIDs as accessories, we're constantly in need of more. This Paw Patrol-themed version is a favorite.
Shop it: BAND-AID, Nickelodeon Paw Patrol, $3, walmart.com
Made by Me Rock Art Painting Kit
This rock art kit saved me on a rainy weekend. And, with 20 different rocks to paint, there's plenty for everyone to do several.
Shop it: Made by Me Rock Art Painting Kit, $10, walmart.com
Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels
I can't even begin to count how many paper towels we use in a day, so stocking up is essential. The select-a-size option is perfect for little hands—and smaller spills.
Shop it: Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels, $10, walmart.com
Sign up for a free two-week trial of Walmart+ here.
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