It takes a village. Boy do I know how true that is now that I have two kids of my own. Having support from friends and family when you’re raising children can either make or break your sanity. I’ve come to learn that you can never have enough help. There is always something that could be done around the house, some errand you want to run, or some social event you want to attend. Without the help from family or friends, raising children would be nearly impossible.
The Struggle of Raising Children
Pre-kids I used to shake my head at celebrities who had nannies and wondered why they couldn’t just raise their own kids. HA! HA HA HA. Post-kids now I know why…because it’s nearly impossible to try and do it all. Here I am working a M-F 9-5 and I could definitely use a nanny (actually 2 if I had the choice), a personal chef (so my kids could experience other foods besides pizza and pasta), and someone just dedicated to laundry. I can wash and fold, but then my motivation stops when its time to put it away.
Every day feels like a marathon. I wake up super early in the morning to work on personal development, my blog, and exercise before my kids wake up and then when they do the fun begins. You know that quote, “Let them sleep, for when they wake they will move mountains?” It’s supposed to be this sweet, inspirational quote you’d hang in their nursery, but for me it’s “Let them sleep, for when they wake they will move all of the furniture in the house.” Once they’re up it’s a struggle to get them to eat breakfast and dressed for school and for my husband and I to get ready for work and out the door on time. Most days when I finally get in my car to leave for work and sit down it’s like my ass sets off steam in the seat. You know when you put a hot pan under water? That’s my ass.
Then, I go to work, rush out of work to pick them up from daycare, WWE wrestle my son into his car seat, get them inside the house and then have them both clinging to me and crying for attention. It’s a lot of fun, really. Most times I’m cooking dinner while holding one and the other crying at my hip. And by cooking dinner I mean stirring pasta in boiling water because that’s about all I have time for. Then after dinner it’s clean up, play time, clean up, bath, pajamas, teeth brushing, books and then bed. Each task is a 15-20 minute ordeal. It’s no wonder we don’t have more mental breakdowns. It’s amazing what we’re capable of and we do it day. after. day.
The Good Ol’ Days
Do you ever wonder how our parents or grandparents were stay at home moms (or dads)? I think because back then they could actually TRUST their village. Kids could play outside in the neighborhood and parents could trust that others would look out for their kids like their own. Now a days you cannot take your eyes off of your kid for a second. You should see me at the park. I’m like a cat watching a mouse. My eyes follow them everywhere they go. This is why it is SO hard raising babies – because we have too many responsibilities and too few people to help us and the world is just too crazy. Gone are the days kids could be sent outside to play while moms cooked dinner (could you imagine the peace!?). So for now it will have to be pasta, and for now I will just continue doing my best and hope that my best is good enough. If you have a good village, love them hard!
If no one has told you today, you’re awesome. Hang in there, mama!
Like what you’ve read? Check out my post on mom guilt here.
Lynn murray says
Believe it or not….these are the early days! Soon you’ll add in real school. Homework school project orange shirt days you only find out as your driving them to school……but like childbirth those memories fade in time. Thanks for refreshing my memories.
Dori says
I love this kristi. Its all so true and relatable!!