Fast Parenting

You may have read in the news this week that a BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth is applying the US principle of 15 minute fast parenting at home with her children. That is spending 15 minutes per day completely focused and uninterupted time where the child choses what to do and the parent obliges. Apparently it fosters good beahviour and development for working parents in a hurry.

So I'm in bed at 7.28pm last night having done a 200 mile round trip to work in Newcastle, attended to Grace fleetingly (yes she got her 15 minutes). And I wonder to myself am I going through an episode of Fast Marriage? Believe you me, Grace is getting all the time in the world, and more. But Matt the Husband? It's not so much a case of ships in the night, rather dead lions in the night. This past week the minute Grace is in bed we have headed to bed, and trust me, there is nothing fanfare and fireworks about that statement. Tucked up with our pyjamas and hot water bottle for 7.28pm on a Friday night. Now that's dire!
We are just soooooo tired. My house is dusty, the garden is neglected and the spare room is looking like a car boot sale. We're happy and well fed. Just so very worn out. I'm assured by working parents at the office that this gets easier to deal with as we get more experienced in the art, but seriously, I doubt any of them are in bed at half seven on a friday night. Aaaaarrrggggh! I need more TIME!