When DH gets home at supper time and asks what we did all day, I give him a summary. When anyone else asks me what we've been up to, invariably I answer "Not much." Seriously, does anyone really want to be involved in the minutiae of my daily life which involves the wiping/cleaning of at least three human arses/other bits, the remnants of two feline arses, picking up toy, food or play messes, the hand feeding of three boys (because ever since Finn began eating solid food getting fed by Mommy is the Thing. To. Do.), the eternal laundry, the cleaned at least twice a day (and that's a good day) toilets, and on and on and on. Unfortunately, all of this activity results in me not really being able to carry on a conversation that doesn't involve one of the afore mentioned topics.
Most of my friends have full-time jobs. They get up in the morning and, after the initial scrabble out the door getting their children dropped off, go off to work in an environment that requires a regular shower, having presentable hair and reasonably professional looking clothing. Frankly, I have no idea how they do it but have a healthy dose of admiration for them. And it is the time between their children getting dropped off and picked up that really, really intrigues me. I suspect that these working outside the home parents go to the toilet without an audience (what's that like???), have the opportunity to drink a warm cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate and maybe, just maybe, have conversations about things other than children, viruses that affect children and the amount of laundry created by children.
Before I had children, I used to talk about to my friends about things like running, long distance cycling, curling (if you haven't tried it, go sign up now. The most fun you can have on ice as far as I'm concerned though I'm a bit biased. I don't like hockey), knitting, quilting, the most recent book I read, the news (which I virtually ignore now. Too depressing), etc...but I could be wrong. That was a time before three deliveries, two surgeries and three fairly significant bouts of post-partum depression so my memory is a little hazy. Now, I talk about my children and am probably turning into a very boring person.
So next time you see me in person, be prepared. I will be talking about my children, what recent antics they've been up to, what they've destroyed, and their most recent cute/funny/rude comment either to a complete stranger or a friend/relative who wished they were a complete stranger. I should have mental capacity to talk about some of the topics listed in the previous paragraph by oh, say, 2022 or so?
Most of my friends have full-time jobs. They get up in the morning and, after the initial scrabble out the door getting their children dropped off, go off to work in an environment that requires a regular shower, having presentable hair and reasonably professional looking clothing. Frankly, I have no idea how they do it but have a healthy dose of admiration for them. And it is the time between their children getting dropped off and picked up that really, really intrigues me. I suspect that these working outside the home parents go to the toilet without an audience (what's that like???), have the opportunity to drink a warm cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate and maybe, just maybe, have conversations about things other than children, viruses that affect children and the amount of laundry created by children.
Before I had children, I used to talk about to my friends about things like running, long distance cycling, curling (if you haven't tried it, go sign up now. The most fun you can have on ice as far as I'm concerned though I'm a bit biased. I don't like hockey), knitting, quilting, the most recent book I read, the news (which I virtually ignore now. Too depressing), etc...but I could be wrong. That was a time before three deliveries, two surgeries and three fairly significant bouts of post-partum depression so my memory is a little hazy. Now, I talk about my children and am probably turning into a very boring person.
So next time you see me in person, be prepared. I will be talking about my children, what recent antics they've been up to, what they've destroyed, and their most recent cute/funny/rude comment either to a complete stranger or a friend/relative who wished they were a complete stranger. I should have mental capacity to talk about some of the topics listed in the previous paragraph by oh, say, 2022 or so?
I hear ya.... as a mom who has done both, I much prefer my at home role though... even if no one else gets it!
ReplyDeleteGlad you get it too!
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