Thursday 26 January 2012

Four Day Parenting

I'm noticing a pattern beginning to emerge. It's called Groundhog Day. Going through the motions in ever decreasing circles, my week is split most definitely in two; that of Mummy's week (4 days) and Working Mummy's week (3 days). And the guilt is slowly creeping up on me as for three days on the trot, week after week, Grace see's me for five minutes in the morning where I ask her how she's slept and kiss her goodbye and wave her off to nursery, and then in the evening it's not much better.

We chat in the car on the way home, Grace and me, talking about her day (yesterday it was baking Moon Cakes for Chinese New Year), and then she plays with her Daddy at home while I prepare a meal before she has her bath and bed. And the scary thing is, I think she's starting to pick up on the fact she doesn't get much Mummy-time on the days I work. She holds her arms out to me and clings on for dear life as if to say 'tell me it's not work again today Mummy?' It's breaking my heart.

I know I'm not alone in this syndrome, woman of many hats, juggling the ball and spinning the plates. But short of keeping Grace up beyond her natural bedtime to spend a wee bit longer with her, what can I do?

I'm on the treadmill of life and I wanna press the emergency STOP!

Any tips gratefully recieved :0)

2 comments:

  1. My kids can't wait to get me off to work in the morning, they get my coat, shoes and bags holler their goodbyes and slam the door behind me. At least they are happy!

    I work five days a week but for me it means that I treasure the weekends and that as a family we go out of our way to have special times together then. I'm not sure I can really offer any advice as I'm guessing you don't have a choice but to work. Just enjoy every moment you can with your family and forgive yourself for the times you can't be there because you are, at least, putting a roof over your heads!

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    1. You're right, I'm being a bit wet. I think I feel alot of guilt as my Husband does so much with her and I seem to multitask better than he does so he looks after Grace while i do 'stuff' around the house. Do you know my favourite moment today? Grace and me, we did the washing up together, her first time stood at the sink on a chair. Sheer magic. Thanks for the pep talk!

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