I’ve had a little
taste of what it must be like to be a SAHM. I’ve been at home for the last two weeks while Rose has some time off to
go visit her family.
Granted, two weeks
is a whole lot different to All The Time, but it has been interesting, to say
the least. A little taste of what life
might be like if I could stay home.
Like most things
in life, there are good bits and there are not such fun bits. I am not even going to go anywhere close to getting
into the whole SAHM vs working moms thing, because the issue is so totally
dependant on a million things, not least of which are the individual mother,
child, family and circumstance.
That said, here
are some of my observations from my v brief spell as a SAHM:
The good bits:
Obviously spending
so much quality time with the kids. That
has been divine. Although, having said
that, bedtime is welcomed with open arms and the delicious lure of a nice,
relaxing, QUIET glass of wine. The day
can get very long when it is just us lot at home, all day long. Going out breaks up the day nicely, but you
can’t go out every day. Plus they are a
HUGE pain to take out in public at the moment. They don’t want to sit in the pram and they also can’t walk everywhere. And herding twins is a bit like herding
skittish goats.
Doing fun stuff
like playing outside, building stuff, playing games etc. The kids are so much fun at the moment; they
make me laugh all day.
Being able to go
to the mall, or to the park, or to visit someone for tea, or have a play date
with the neighbour.
Being able to
visit my mom and have coffee with her.
Being able to wear
no make up and sweatpants all day if I feel like it. And I have felt like it.
Not having to face
rush hour traffic.
Not having to deal
with deadlines, customers, targets, proposals, presentations, budgets and
annoying co-workers.
The not so fun bits:
Oh my word, but one
is busy busy busy the whole day! You
don’t stop. If you are not feeding, you
are changing nappies, giving bottles, cleaning bottles, breaking up fights,
picking up toys, finding lost dummies, wiping snotty noses, hanging up the
washing, taking it down again, feeding/changing/tidying up. I haven’t sat down for longer than 5 minutes,
unless they are napping. And then there
are a whole lot of other things one needs to do. I get to ‘rest’ much more at work than being
at home with the babes. I’m exhausted!
And the
mess!! OMG, how can two tiny people
create so much mess? I am picking up and
tidying up constantly. They are like two whirlwinds. Tornadoes. Assholes. Not the last one. Slipped out, sorry.
And the dirt! I absolutely take my hat off to those of you
who also have to clean the house as well, working moms and SAHM’s. I only have to
tidy and wash dishes etc. I have someone
who cleans once a week and I took my ironing to the Laundromat to be
ironed. I can’t imagine having to do
that as well. You have my deepest
respect, I am really fortunate.
But the worst bit
about staying at home is that SAHM’s get NO SICK DAYS! I’ve been feeling so sick the last few days,
and there has been no rest or respite for me. Blah! But I am feeling much
better today, thank goodness.
All in all it has
been divine, such a nice opportunity for me to spend so much time with the two
of them. Of course it would be different
if I was doing this 24/7, I might not be as enthusiastic about all the ‘quality
time’. But then again, I might. Who knows. It has certainly made me appreciate how much
Rose does everyday! These last two weeks
have been lots of fun though. Darling
little assholes of mine, I do adore them so.