Stuck in heavy traffic, boarding a jamm-packed train on the way to work, racing against other commuters, finishing up tons and tons of paperworks, trying to hide from the boss or at least trying to look unsuspiciously busy when they pass by, dealing with toxic colleagues, gulping ten million cups of coffee just to stay awake while on a night shift job, and a whole lot more . All these used to be part of my Monday before. That was when I was still an employee.
My Mondays had a 360° turn over when I decided to quit my job to face a much more challenging role - taking care of my family. At first it sounded fun to me - no more stress, no more deadlines, no more toxicity. Then a month into the stay-at-home mom role, it was a little lot overwhelming. I thought of looking for a nanny and a help again so I could get back to my usual toxic employed self. Until it became bearable to the point that it became enjoyable.
Oh, so you're a housewife? Wow! That's nice! All you got to do is just stay at home and wait til your husband gets home! No stress, no problems, no bosses. Good for you! People make it sound as if being a stay at home mom is a walk in the park. Oh it's a walk in the park, alright. Jurassic park!
My day would usually begin in the morning with me enjoying my cup of coffee while watering the plants. To be honest, this could be one of the easiest part of the day. But when my plants were still sprouts - especially the bittergourds, they needed extra attention. It's like having another baby but a little more bratty but at least does not throw a tantrum. But now that they are a little grown up, they require a little less attention.
This is also the most beautiful part of my day because I get to see how my plants grow little by little.
We live in an apartment so this means we share the compound with other people. That's why we have a schedule for washing clothes. I chose was given Mondays and Thursdays. We need to follow a schedule because there is limited space for hanging the clothes dry. Now this is where my day starts to be a bit more active.
My husband bought me an automatic washer. I used to handwash everything before but now at least I'll just put the clothes into the washer, program the settings and then go around the house to do the stuff I need to do.
By now my kid and my husband is probably awake already. Breakfast should be served. These past few days, my husband is going through a stricter diet. He's doing intermittent fasting. My daughter on the other hand is a picky eater. So I adjust the menu according to their preferences. Mondays is oatmeal breakfast day.
I let my husband feed the kid while I work through other stuff at home since it's his day off work. It's fun seeing him struggle with his diet while feeding the little one. Haha! But he succeeds everytime. I am giving him and the kid some daddy-daughter moments, I train him to become strong against temptations. But really I'm just giving him a hard time.
While the laundy is spinning, the kid is eating, I go on ahead and start cleaning the house. And seriously, in this household, I feel like I have a third eye. Because I am the only one that sees the mess in the house. If I leave the house for a day or two, I am sure to come home with a topsy turvy house. If I leave these two for a week, I'll come home to a dumpster.
Once that's done, the laundry should be done too. By this time I should be thinking about lunch. In the past, I don't really plan a week's worh of lunch. I guess I got tired of asking my husband what he wants for lunch and then get a reply saying "You decide."
I'm trying to pass that burden over to you! So now, I plan ahead. It saves a whole lot of time. Now he gets to ask what's for lunch while I answer "It's a surprise!"
Multi-tasking has been a part of my daily life - employed or unemployed. Only now, things are a lot heavier. Literally. My kid has been super clingy to me. Most times I do stuff at home using only one hand. Have you ever tried chopping veggies using one hand? Or sautee using your less dominant hand while your dominant hand is holding a 34 pound two-year old toddler? If you have then at least I know I'm not alone.
Which is why I am eternally grateful to the people that invented the baby carrier. You are a lifesaver.
The clothes need to be hung dry so while lunch is cooking, and I am baby-wearing, I go ahead and hang the laundry. If I'm lucky my kid would want to go down in the floor so she could run around, roll over, jump up and down, and generally just get dirty and sweaty all over.
It will then be time for bath time. Sometimes it's a breeze. She will go to the bathroom without a fuzz, play with her bath time toys, allow me to clean her up and we finish off without incident. But there are those happy times when she would fight with me all through out. She would fight over going into the bath. She would fight while I clean her up. If you haven't been in a bathroom with a child screaming over you removing the dirt on her feet, you haven't experienced torture to your ears. But that's not the end of it. She will fight with me because she doesn't want to leave the bathroom.
Have kids, they say. It will be fun, they say.
Seriously, just writing about my Mondays right now is really making me tired. And we're just halfway through the day.
Afternoons are a lot more peaceful and quiet. And I mean really quiet because the little dragon is taking a nap. If anyone makes an unnecessary noise that would potentially wake my kid up in the middle of her nap, I have plotted several ways of hurting them.
This is the time when I get a breather. And by that I mean wash the dishes without a little tyke tugging at my blouse, folding the dried up clothes, write stuff on steemit, read and comment on posts I like. If Ibwas able to create something new with my crocheting I would most likely post it on a Monday but with the holidays rush, I couldn't get to create new stuff but I was able to make a mandala coaster. It is during the afternoons that my mind is free to create new yarn stuff.
If I still have time, I take a quick nap too si that I'll have enough energy to still play with her until before bedtime. But if she wakes up already, I'll just get my boost from my caffeine. I thought I'll stop my coffee addiction once I resigned from my job. Ooooh I was wrong. I was so wrong.
Once I get my coffee boost, we head outside the house for our playtime. I like this part of the day most because me and my kid just goofs around. I also get to introduce her into gardening because I water the plants in the afternoon. I let her help a bit. She loves being helpful and loves hearing it when I say "Good job!" after she finishes whatever it is she's doing.
By night time, after all the hstle and bustle during the day, I am just ready to retire for the night. But I can't yet. The kid is still very much hyped up. Thanks to the chocolates her grandma oh so generously provides almost everyday. I'd like to think it's my on-law's way of telling me she don't like me or it's her way of getting back at my husband. I think it's most likely the former than the latter.
At Monday night, I end up staying awake later than I should because of the coffee I gulped just so I could stay up until my kid falls asleep. That's after two hours or more of lulling and humming and praying.
But I must admit, I am more compensated now that I don't have a job more than when I was employed. It's not monetary though. I get paid with hugs and kisses and her "Good night!" And when she kisses me before she gets to sleep, it's like a soothing balm to my tired body, giving me enough energy and will to take on one more day. And I get that every single night. And I must say, I am the luckiest.
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