16 Feb 2015

Dealing with Decisions - aka daily parenting stresses

Over the last few weeks, as I've been blogging regularly, one topic keeps coming up - parenting. And even though I swore to myself when I had Baby45 I would not become a "mummy blogger", it does seem central to my writing on here. I think it's hard to avoid though because parenting is pretty much central to my existence right now. 

To be honest, day to day most parents juggle with a multitude of decisions. Eg: At some pre-dawn hour 
"What time are we being woken? Is Beebies on yet? Do we have the current favourite breakfast cereal? Is lunch packed? Are there clean clothes for today's activities?"
And then later on in the day...
"Were there any vegetables in that? Do chips count as 1 of 5 a day? Which cup is the right cup (not the BLUE one the OTHER BLUE one...)?  Is it naptime yet? Can I have that pee I've needed for the last four hours?"
Frankly by the time we reach bedtime, the endless negotiations required to enable parents to have an evening in peace and a full night's sleep, rival skills only otherwise possessed by key members of the UN. Hence, I have ended up writing about parenting at lot.

Recently for example, I have had to consider all of the following before planning the day ahead of us.....
  • Trying to watch less Cbeebies. After an attack of mummy guilts (It's frying his brain, he watches too much, other people with JUDGE YOU) Beebies is now "broken" in this house between 9am and 5pm on the days I don't work. Unless there is an emergency (FYI hangovers count as an emergency).
  • Half term which means it will be bedlam everywhere, but Baby45 will still need to go out for a run (like a dog, really). And other people's children can be really annoying. I know you're not supposed to say that - because I'm pretty sure Baby45 is annoying to other people - but there is only so much screeching from my own child I can take, let alone someone else's. But as I said, you can't stay at home because TODDLERS but also...
  • Ill Husbando. It's not man-flu, it's actual flu. I had to purchase some of those lurid coloured max strength capsules and an expectorant (yes, that's as delightful as that sounds). Also had to keep Baby45 from pestering OH every 10 mins "Daddy POORLY, Daddy need CALPOL" *hurls toddler self at OH* "Daddy CUGGLE" prod prod poke poke ad infinitum. I'm pretty sure the last thing you need when you're ill is an overly concerned toddler.
To recap, it's cold and rainy. We can't stay in because ill husband, we can't go out because other people. What to do?  Well I put on my big girl pants and wo-manned up.....we did messy play. Words that strike fear into the hearts of parents everywhere and why we thank god for nursery/preschool/playgroup/any parent that allows messy play.

To be fair, it was the tamer side of messy play - cutting, sticking, playdoh, colouring. lots of Peppa Pig stickers.  And then most of it got chucked in the bin - and I did the ASDA order whilst Baby45 created sticky mayhem.  

We also went for a walk <I bribed Baby45 with the promise of chocolate croissants - he's so posh> and on the swings. And baked fairy cakes. And then clearly the god of tired parents everywhere was smiling on us because Baby45 had a 2 hour nap and a friend took pity on us and invited us round to trash her house play with her two children. 

On top of all that I achieved some chores (side note - is anyone else's house also a shit pit on Mondays? After the weekend that was?) For the first time ever, by 9am my kitchen and bathroom floors were hoovered and mopped. Yes, I don't know what came over me either. I did laundry. I made breakfast and lunch and cleared up straight away. I did laundry!

So by the end of the day, all I've thought about is Baby45 and also hopefully achieving other stuff just to keep our house running and not a complete disaster. Which is why apparently I can't blog about anything else and also, it's now 10pm and my brain is slowly beginning to dissolve into the muck in Mr Bloom's Compostarium.

Thank you and good night,

Stupidgirl has left the building

PS I know I didn't blog for the last couple of nights. It was Valentine's day and also, I watched Gone, Girl last night. Which is frickin amazing!

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