One of the perils of working from home, especially when you both do so, is losing your weekends.
Since becoming parents we have, generally, become much better at trying to make sure we get some family time at the weekends. However, every now and then deadlines are looming, hours have been lost through the week or there’s just too much work and you have to play juggle the daughter.
Juggle the daughter theoretically involves childcare shifts, where one of us works and the other does exciting, developmentally stimulating and energetic activities with said daughter.
What it usually involves is childcare shifts where one of us works and the other one attempts to do a week’s worth of housework while ensuring there is a constant stream of CBeebies, Nick Jr and Playhouse Disney to keep daughter quiet.
Today, I managed to miss out on the fun trip to the park. It was sunny for the first time in a while, so it was decided that it would be OK for daughter to put on a nappy and some clothes for an hour and go out and be energetic. I missed out on the first flying of the kite that husband had been given a year and a week ago for his previous birthday. I missed out on seeing my sister at the park. I missed out on getting mud all over my trousers.
Instead of all this fun, I was sat at my desk proofreading.
... and providing for your family. It's tough finding the balance, but it sounds like you get it right most of the time.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm confused; daughter 'put on a nappy and some clothes' - is this a novelty? Are you nudists in the home? I have no problem with that, it's just that it's blinkin freezing at the moment and I'm wearing seven layers of fleece in my sitting room.
Excuse me while I wipe the cornflakes off the screen! No, we're just trying to get her back into using the potty after it all got mucked up over Christmas. She remembers to use it pretty much consistantly if she has no clothes or nappies or anything on her bum! So we spent the weekend with her running around bare-bummed, so she could remember how it feels to need to pee/poop! Heating has been blasted up high so she didn't freeze.
ReplyDeleteOh bother. I was getting all excited about a nudist family blog. Just potty-training related stuff... sigh.
ReplyDeleteThere's a niche blog that someone should fill!
ReplyDeleteWe do the sleep shifts too - anyone else? Where you let each other sleep for an hour or so while the other manages the kiddy chaos (i.e. just lies slumped on the sofa while they watch cbeebies)?
ReplyDeleteWe do one-way sleep shifts - I manage the kiddy chaos; he sleeps. To be fair, he would probably do them if I asked - like so many things with husbands, it seems, you have to specify when you need help with something instead of expecting them to know (fair enough, I suppose). I am still learning this lesson!
ReplyDelete