Right? Don’t we though?
I mean no one is home at my house during the day to make dinner. Or do laundry. Or vaccuum. Or pick up toys, or wipe down surfaces, or scrub the toilet, or mow the lawn, or write thank you notes, or load the dishwasher, or, or, or……
Or any of that. We just muddle along. Toss in two plus jobs and things start to look a little scary.
Remember that part of my “job” job is to teach parenting to other parents, right? Within the Parenting and Family Education and Resources department (I use the term “department” loosely here) we have identified these handy-dandy five areas of parenting:
- child development and temperament (I’m pretty good here.)
- health and safety (I’ve got this covered.)
- nurture: loving attachment, etc. (I do just fine.)
- structure: routines, limits, etc. (I hold my own.)
- parent self-care (Okay, this is where I totally blow it!)
Totally. I just do not have the time (make the time? find the time? WHERE IS THAT TIME?) to take good care of myself. As I already mentioned, I don’t even have time to get the fricking dishes done, let alone do something kind and nurturing for myself (like do those physical therapy exercises for my shoulder, or get my haircut, or go bra shopping)!
So once again, I have to practice what I preach: I will put my own oxygen mask on BEFORE I attempt to assist others who need my help. Even if there is whining.
On that note, it is 10:15pm and I’m going to bed.
