Raising two young kids abroad isn’t easy—and when you throw in household chores, work, and the never-ending laundry, it gets a lot. That’s why for this blog, I want to share how we manage the house (and stay sane 😅) with just the two of us—me working full-time, and Nanay staying at home full-time with the kids.
Yes, you read that right—Nanay is not working, and we decided on that together. When we moved here and started our family, she works only for two years and when she got pregnant to our second child, we both agreed that her focus would be taking care of the kids while I focus on work. Hindi siya madali financially, but it’s what works best for our little family right now.
So how do we make it work? Here are our honest and real-life tips for juggling household life with two toddlers.
🗓 1. Create a Flexible Routine, Not a Strict Schedule
We don’t follow a strict timetable kasi let’s be real, toddlers don’t care about clocks. 😅 But we do have a rhythm to our week that helps us stay organized.
Sample Weekly Rhythm:
- Monday – Laundry
- Tuesday – Grocery shopping or online orders
- Wednesday – Light cleaning – Laundry
- Thursday – Midweek reset (repacking things, folding clothes)
- Saturday – Family cleaning day – Laundry
- Sunday – Family day or rest
Hindi siya perfect, but it keeps the chaos manageable.
🤝 2. Day Shift si Nanay, Night Shift si Tatay
Since I work full-time, si Nanay talaga ang naka-assign sa kids during the day. But as soon as I clock out, I try my best to take over—whether it’s playing with the kids, giving them a bath, or just helping with dinner.
This is our unspoken agreement: Parenting is shared, even if one stays at home.
🎒 3. Let the Kids Help (In Their Own Cute Way)
We try to involve our eldest sa simple chores.
- Passing small laundry items
- Cleaning up her toys
- Putting the litter in the bin.
Siyempre minsan nakakadoble trabaho pa, pero we let her do it para ma-feel niya that she’s helping. Plus, it’s good training din!
🧹 4. Clean Enough is Good Enough
We don’t aim for a Pinterest-perfect home. Our motto:
“Tidy enough to walk, clean enough to eat, and a happy family overall.”
May clutter? Oo. May hugasin? Always. End of the day si dishwasher na bahala. Pero hindi siya laging emergency.
We learned to prioritize rest, mental health, and family time over spotless rooms.
📲 5. Use Tools That Save Time and Energy
We’ve invested in a few “modern parent hacks” that really help:
- Robot vacuum – para at least yung sahig, okay kahit busy. We had before Pero nasira and we are planning to get a new one.
- Meal planners – saves time sa grocery. Dito magaling si Nanay.
- Air fryer – best friend ni Nanay
- Online grocery delivery – life-saver pag walang time.
Small tools, big help!
💆 6. Prioritize Rest – Yes, It’s a Household Task Too!
At the end of the day, pagod kaming dalawa. Kahit si Nanay nasa bahay lang (sabi ng iba), it’s a full-time job na walang lunch break or clock-out.
So we try to rest—kahit konti lang. Watch a show. Drink coffee. Just sit in silence after bedtime. Kasi rest is part of the routine too.
💬 Final Thoughts
Not gonna lie—parenting with two small kids is hard work. There are days we feel overwhelmed, tired, and unmotivated. But seeing the kids grow, laugh, and learn every day makes it all worth it.
We’re far from perfect, but we’re figuring it out one week at a time.
If you’re in the same season, know this: you’re doing better than you think.
And if you need a digital high five or want to swap stories, just drop by the comments.
Let’s keep cheering each other on. 💪💛
-#DadBuhay
DadBuhay 
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