Oh gosh where does one begin!
I guess it would be by saying that as a mother, there is no such thing as a beginning or an end to anything, especially not within a 24-hour day right?
Now as a mother to 3 kids or should I rather say to 4 (if we’re still counting our husbands), you can only imagine the amount of me time I could possibly factor into the daily equation: mother = (three kids) + (husband X 10) ÷ SUM (housework; mealtimes; babysitting; coaching; homework; Uber taxi; nursing; my own small at home business) + being a wife, (yes I know it’s very long but realistic). It’s just impossible to see anything but the fact that there are not enough hours in one day. Yet somehow, as do all Moms out there, we figure it out or we really just have super human powers!
So having borne (with immense pain and struggle), the 3 kids, of which my eldest daughter is sixteen and loves accounting, my middle daughter is four and has Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) and my baby boy is going on 1 and already walking, thus resulting in my average day unfolding like this. My alarm goes off at 04H50 and while I gently roll over to my right side where my baby sleeps next to me due to effective nursing for my sanity, I use my left leg to slowly but firmly kick my STILL ever snoring, sleeping husband into alert mode. While my husband jumps out of bed like a jet rocket sling shot due to fear of my morning tone, lol, I nurse my one-year-old for the sixth time since I climbed into bed the night before. Then with my slippers barely on my feet and my hair in frazzled knots, I make my way with baby in one arm to get the other two kids out of bed and ready for school which by no means is any picnic! In between that, I’m running between making three sets of lunches, five portions of whatever I can muster up for breakfast that morning while I have a load in the washer, another one on my way to hang up outside, schoolbags and homework in order and packed and oh but wait, I forgot that before all that, I’ve even managed to lay out everyone’s clothing for the day, including that of my husbands. By 06h50 I’ve successfully kicked (joke) the two kids and husband out the door and their way to school, courtesy of my husband. As I shut the front door to that segment of the morning, I turn to prepare for the next, which is a day filled with;
taking care of the needs and deeds of my baby boy- as well as the pile of happy bubbly dishes in the sink
- the day’s ironing
- making of beds
- cleaning up house (probably for the 3rd time already so far)
- and shoving what looks like could be an edible supper into the oven.
BUT in no time its 12hoo WHAAAAT, and I’ve only now managed to find my way into the bathroom for an all-in-one or so it seems, shower and change in “sixty seconds” with my one-year-old lagging on my one leg with his trailing toys, for fear of being left to his own devices. The rest of the day pretty much takes on a zombie-like-mode of juggling play time with nap time, nap time with my business time, and blended into the mix, with a touch of hiccups and snot and trana along the way, begins;
The picking up kids from schools- dropping them of at relevant sports fixtures
- supervising homework
- tearing the two younger kids off of each other
- while trying to pry my teenager off her cell phone and iPad long enough to finish all her homework.
In the left corner of the ring, I’m dishing out afternoon snacks and tea to all three kids and gulping down a cuppa myself whilst in a flat panic because my four-year-old has coaxed her brother up over the couches onto the curtain rails once again.
The crazy thing is that whilst all this is going on throughout the day, I’m mentally making notes of;
- what needs to get onto the shopping list
- what chores need to be achieved this week
- mentally filing things already done
- alongside with what extra mural activities the kids have going on in the week
- what doctor’s sessions and appointments are coming up
- topped with what crazy ridiculous projects I have to help my teen with into all hours of the night!
By the time 17h00 comes, it feels like feeding time at the zoo has begun and I’m not sure how, but a new bout of energy emerges and it’s like “Speedy Gonzales” to get through the entire process in order to get everyone’s tummy filled and fuelled so I can snap up my favourite programme for a quick forty minutes of relax mode (trying very hard not to dose off) before starting with the BIG FIVE comprising of;
- Supper and dishes
- getting kids into baths and ready for bed
- last minute attempts at business work
- HUSBAND TIME (yes let’s not forget to work that in somewhere)
- and lastly taking myself off to soak or sink in the tub.
Once all that is behind me then the “WALK OF SHAME” commences, being that of “SHAME POOR DEAR YOU REALLY MUST GET SOME SLEEP “out of the mouth of my darling husband who knows only too well what lies ahead for me for the rest of this day’s night.
And, like Deja vu, everything begins at clockwork except for the fact that as us moms know, there really isn’t a set average day now is there!
If You would like to find out more about my hectic but thankful life, you can catch up with me on the following links;
Blog @ http://www.mothershiplanding.com/
Hi Francesca, phew! I take my hat off to you! I remember how tired I was when my son was a year old and nursing 6 times a night. And I only have him (and a bonus daughter who’s 12, and not with us all the time). I am in awe of how you manage with 3. Highly relatable post, thanks.
Yip I agree.
Exhausting just reading this!!