So it's been one week with two parents working full time. So far, no tempers have been lost in the Pumpkin Palace and everyone is (reasonably) happy and healthy. This has more to do with luck than any meticulous planning or enormous sacrifice on anyone's part (except for the grandparents, that is. They picked up the Pumpkin Prince and Princess from day care every day, and fed and bathed them almost every day).
Monday, I had an outside gig away from the usual workplace. I finished way earlier than usual, so I took the time to make a quick trip home and do laundry, dust, swiff and grab some lunch. I was going to go back to the workplace and finish early, but I found out that one of the bosses had lost his dad and would be gone for the week for funeral arrangements and whatnot, so I had to stick around to help cover for him. The Pumpkin Granny picked the Pumpkin Princess and Prince from day care and took care of them until I finished.
Tuesday, the Pumpkin Daddy made it home by 6:30, and the Prince and Princess had their baths with him. I defrosted a lasagna (made a while back from tomatoes from the garden) and cut up some cucumbers and tomatos and called it a salad.
Wednesday, I was lucky enough to get home by six. I got laundry and dinner (spaghetti with packaged tomato sauce, corn chowder, and salad) started. The Pumpkin Daddy called and said he was on his way home, so I asked him to pick up the Prince and Princess at Granny's so they could have their bath and dinner at home. The Princess had other plans. She refused to come home with Daddy and had dinner with Granny and Grandpa.
Thursday, I was told that Grandpa had been very upset and lost his temper that I hadn't come to pick up the Prince and Princess sooner. The Pumpkin Daddy did the laundry.
Friday, the Pumpkin Daddy had a summer festival at work and didn't come home until very late. The Prince and Princess had already been bathed and fed when I got to the Granny's. I brought them home, did laundry, and put them to bed, and fell asleep in the process. It was 11 p.m. when the Pumpkin Daddy got home and woke me, but I managed to hang the laundry to dry and shower before going to bed proper.
Saturday, the Pumpkin Daddy was hung over and didn't do much other than keep the Pumpkin Princess entertained (which did, I admit, help). I did the laundry, cleaned a bit, made lunch, put the bedding for day care together, cleaned some more, threw together dinner from stuff in the fridge and garden (frozen fish filets, pre-seasoned and breaded, tofu and scallion miso soup, frozen spinach sauteed in butter, and tomatoes), bathed, and put the Pumpkin Princess to bed. Not much, but acceptable level of activity for a family with a 3 year-old and 4 month-old.
2 comments:
Most people don't realize that being a wife/mother AND working full time is a very hard and demanding job. Most workers can leave the office and sit down to dinner without having to prepare it or clean up after. Add kids and you have a whole nother matter!!
You'll get the hang of it soon and know what things need to be done right away and what can wait until the weekends (or major holidays!). Good luck!
Oh, I'll get the hang of it, you're right...thing is, in my experience, by the time I get the hang of it, something changes. It's either the work schedule, or the Pumpkin Princess starting a different phase, or one of my parents having some kind of injury or hospitalization (most recent: dad getting elective surgery on his foot), etc.
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