So this last week has been an interesting one!
The boys carer has been in hospital so I’ve had to try my hand at being a stay at home mum and let me tell you, this shizz is hard work!
Here is a brief comparison of my usual work day morning vs my SAHM morning:
……………………………………………
WORK DAY
5am – Alarm goes off so I get up and have a leisurely shower while the boys are still sleeping and make a coffee, get ready for work, get the boys up and throw their shoes and jacket on, out the door by 6.15am.
SAHM DAY
Wake up to alarm for hubby at 5.30am. Kids jump on my head and start whining in my ear ‘Want bottle! Want Hugglemonsters! I’m hungry, can I play on your phone, morning time, get up mummy. GET UP MUMMY!’
WORK DAY
Get to work and have a relaxing half an hour to drink my second coffee, have breakfast and start my work day with some adult conversation.
SAHM DAY
Have coffee, bribe kids with tablet and phone in order to have a rushed shower while they stand at the door yelling ‘All done yet mummy? All done shower? Mummy! Hurry up! Get out shower!’. Get out and dress hurriedly before they use my phone to start ringing multiple people listed under A on my contact list. Spend the next half an hour being yelled at to make multiple things for breakfast (these include popcorn, pretzels, mummy’s cookies, toast with peanut butter and weetbix). Spoon feed them breakfast (hey, I don’t have time to wait for them ok! Yes, I know he’s 4. Yes, he knows how to use a spoon. No, I don’t care if I am enabling them, I need to get out the damn door!). Make C’s lunch while he dictates and gives his opinion on every item ‘Not stinky oranges! I hate stinky yucky oranges, bleugh! Yuck! I’m not eating those *insert spew sounds*’. Manage to get them both dressed and in the car with moments to spare before dropping off said older child at kindergarten.
……………………………………………
By 9am I am physically and mentally more exhausted being at home and navigating the childcare duties than I am at work for sure! This does not come naturally to me at all. I mentioned last week that I was not born maternal. Sure, with my own kids I am more natural but throw me yours and I will still be all ‘What the heck do I do with this child?!’. This also comes into play with the whole ‘being at home and doing the domestic duties while entertaining two little boys all day’ gig. Every day. In a row. Without a break.
During the past week I have tried my hand at several things that I imagine are reminiscent of some sort of domesticated goddess type things that SAHM’s do and have down to a fine art (feel free to disagree with me, maybe I am not the only inept mother in the kitchen!). Things like making mini bacon and egg pies, apple strudel, meatloaf and a roast lamb.
All turned out well bar the meatloaf which was declared disgusting. Luckily the dog liked it. I also started watching The Bachelor in Paradise during nap times. That part came naturally! I liked that part.
On Friday I decided to take the youngest on a shopping trip with me. He’d been cooped up all week with a sick brother (as had I!) and we desperately needed to get out of the house. He loves the mall so I thought this was a great idea. He’s generally very good at being my shopping companion but that day he was in a very outspoken, opinionated mood. I tried on some clothes and took him in the changing room with me and let me tell you, he was not holding back on his opinion! ‘Nope, no like it’ ‘No, yucky’ ‘Hmm … nope’ ‘No! No like that one!’. The one item he declared to be ‘Perfect!’ was the one item I bought, can’t underestimate the honest opinion of a two year old! My biggest mistake was in promising a cheeseburger at McDonalds if he was good. Trouble was we got there at 9am and they don’t start serving cheeseburgers until 10.30am! Do you know how to explain that to a 2 year old? You don’t. So I got a running commentary of ‘Cheeseburger time mummy!’ the whole way around the mall. For 1.5 hours.
Eventually he got his cheeseburger and I got a coffee as a reward.
I also rewarded myself with this gorgeous Maybelline Nude eye-shadow pallette which I am in love with.
I finished off the week by going on my work do despite not actually being at work and I spent the whole night talking to my workmates in a baby voice:
‘No no, no more beers for you!’
‘And what would you like to eat for dinnies?’
‘No dessert unless you eat everything on your plate including your veges ok mister?!’.
Ok, no I didn’t.
I don’t think …
I did however get drunk and proceed to emanate my toddler by falling up some stairs, being unintelligible for half the night, spilling over some drinks and even smashing a beer glass for good measure.
I wonder what this week of being a SAHM will have in store for me?!
Are you a working mum or stay at home mum? Does staying home and being a mum full time come naturally to you? If you work do you find that balance easier than the times you have been at home?
Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT today!
I’ve done all 3 – full time, part time and stay at home. I think part time is the ideal, full time is the hardest. I love being stay at home and it’s so much fun and by far the easiest (I know you’re not meant to say that, but it seriously is). However, it’s boing at times – this last week I’ve spent 11 hours in the car getting kids to medical and dental appointments, plus a further 7 getting to afterschool activities for multiple kids. Boring as it is, at least I don’t have the stress of taking time off work to do it….I also share the ferrying with a working mum, so she doesn’t have to take time off to do it (ie I do it all the time and she’ll cover if I have a clash) and another who has dinner with us every week before their activity. I figure as I’m home it’s not sweat to make life a little easier for those who aren’t. The kids are the winners in the end, as they get time with a friend, and a friend who’s as comfortable in our house as theirs.
Lydia C. Lee recently posted…When the bar becomes a limbo stick
That’s so awesome you help each other out, my in-laws are invaluable for helping us out too and are probably what make working full time so easy (most of the time).
I’ve been a work at home mum and a work out of the home mum. Both are hard, and have their own challenges. I couldn’t be a full time stay at home mum, I need more mental stimulation. But you know what? Kids adapt to everything. It’s us that find it hard!
JodiGibson (@JFGibsonWriter) recently posted…Are we worrying too much about our kids’ happiness?
I agree with you, if I did this permanently I think I would end up a little batty! I don’t know how you do work at home while looking after the kids at the same time, I tried doing a bit this last week from home and it was hard work!
Haha sounds like you had an awesome Friday night at least! I can’t do full time home with kids, it actually made me really stressed out and depressed. I now work 3 days which I find is a really good balance.
Mumma McD recently posted…10 types of people you meet at a blogging conference
It was awesome but the hangover the following day not so much! I was going to try the Berocca trick but I forgot! I did have some nurofen at 3am in preparation though, not that it helped much …
I’m definitely lucky at the moment that I’m managing part-time in an office and part time staying – and working – at home. The days I’m going into the office I find the mornings and evenings so frantic and wonder how full-time mums cope with it all… but once I’m there I love it! The days I’m at home are a bit easier now my eldest is at school. Only having the two days, it’s more of a novelty and it’s fun planning little excursions with my two-year-old. The best of both worlds… but still very much a juggling act!
Zoe Meunier recently posted…8 things you should never do in your first year as a new mum (but probably will anyway)
Two days with one would be perfect! I’d love that. Hanging out in public with one is easy, a 2 year old and 4 year old are a freakin handful at the same time, though it helps the 4yo is getting better at listening to instructions.
I am a full time SAHM. For me to work it would cost more than I earn in childcare, so I’ve always been at home with the kids. I do love it but sometimes it does my head in. I am not the most domestically able person, so it’s been a challenge. I’ve only just started to be able to cook better meals!
Becky from BeckyandJames recently posted…Him, Me and the Sea
I so need some cooking lessons! How did you teach yourself?
Oh yes – I remember those days! I didn’t go back to full-time work until my daugher was in Year 1 but when I did – WOW – it was like a holiday in comparison to my SAHM life! Being a SAHM is the hardest job ever!!
Min@WriteoftheMiddle recently posted…My Top 3 Dorky Moments at Problogger Event 2015
Haha, yes Min! It’s not that it doesn’t exhaust me and doesn’t have it own stresses but it’s a different type of exhaustion and one I thrive on. This is just mentally tiring! I feel like I get yelled at all day!
Sounds like a typical SAHM week. Getting screamed at, cooking food no one likes, drinking coffee, and getting drunk. I do that most weeks.
I often think about going back to work full time, but I don’t think I could. I know some people need to work, but I am happy at home looking after my son. It’s super tiring though!
Kelly recently posted…DEAR MARKETING FOR CHOCOLATE
Hahaha! I cracked up at your comment Kelly because that sounds so accurate! Brilliant. Love it.
It is very accurate. Thank you 🙂 x
Kelly recently posted…DEAR MARKETING FOR CHOCOLATE
At the moment, SAHM. In less than two weeks I’ll work two days a week and be at home the other three. Since having my three boys I’ve worked varying amounts. I am firmly of the view, that even in my relatively high stress job, going to work is HANDS DOWN easier than staying at home. At work I don’t have to manage people’s emotions!
Claire @ Life on Wallace recently posted…Party games for your construction crew!
Maybe that’s it Claire, the not having to manage emotions! And emotional my 2 year old has been this week! OMG. 2 year old boys. Maybe they get all that raw emotion out of the way early so they can hold it in later?!
GOD I MISS WORKING. That is all.
Hugzilla recently posted…Making Peace With Your Inner Loser When Everyone Else Wants to Be a Winner
ME TOO! And it’s only been a week!
It’s definitely a change of pace! I now work full time from home, and our boy is older (12) and that means I can rearrange my day to spend time with my family – very handy during the holidays!
Meagan Kerr recently posted…Rainy Day
That sounds like a great arrangement Meagan!
Oh, you crack me up! I hope she’s feeling better soon, so that life can return to normal for you.
Points for all that baking! I don’t do that much of it. 🙂
EssentiallyJess recently posted…Date Night. When Parents Go Rogue #IBOT
Thank you Jess 🙂 The Apple Strudel was delicious but probably not great for me! Haha.
I’ve done all scenarios and they each come with their own challenges. Glad you survived the week! It’s hard when your week changes because you rely on other people. X
Bec @ Styled by Bec recently posted…What I wore to the Problogger Conference Networking Event – SHINE
Yep but work has been amazing giving me the time off without question so it’s been good in that respect. Might start drinking again before Friday though 😉
One of the best things about working was being able to go to the bathroom by myself! And being able to have coffee while it was hot. Simple things!
Emma @ Life, kids and a glass of red recently posted…My new secret weapon for living in a house of males
Totally! Though I never let my coffee go cold, I drink it hot no matter what! Priorities 😉
Well shit, that’s it, I’m going back to work!
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages recently posted…Dreaming of a White Christmas
Lol. Nice form. Meanwhile, loving that eye shadow. I’m going to have to pick myself up some. I work part-time and it is definitely the right balance for me and my family. It’s just three days a week and I think that’s about all I can handle at this stage. I love my time at work and I love my time at home with the girls. I want it all lol.
Renee recently posted…Freckle face
I’m just about to transition back to work and this has made me feel a lot better! I also agree Bachelor in Paradise is the perfect SAHM entertainment, not to taxing and easy to jump in and out of! #brilliantblogposts
Charlene recently posted…How to make your child feel seen
I work from home. Summer holidays have been tough. My eldest never stops talking. Seriously, never! Thanks for linking up to #FridayFrolics
Claire at Life Love and Dirty Dishes recently posted…Friday Frolics Linky – 21st August
I am part time both and can honestly say I prefer the work days. I am in awe of those lovely natural mums that genuinely enjoy hanging out with their kids. I love mine dearly but some days I’d kill to go for a wee on my own and have a chat with someone without the theme tune to team umizoomi in the background making me want to put my head in the oven. #fridayfrolics
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