After considerable faffing and farting around this morning, the temptation to stick a couple of missiles up the bums of my children was a strong one indeed. Don’t worry, I didn’t succumb to it. I work with young people and know that it would be reportable!
Why though are mornings so chaotic and frustrating? Am I the only one feeling that the pressure of getting all house members ready and organized for the day is crazy, crazy, crazy!??
I believe it should be internationally acknowledged that it’s just legendary how much of the daily grind the house-woman can get done in exactly, or even less, than the same amount of time that it takes other householders to kick off the blankets and get their feet to the floor. It’s just like a day’s work before the day’s work. Today, by the time the kids were upright, rubbing sleep from their eyes – their lunches had been made, breakfasts laid out, last night’s dishes sorted, the dishwasher was running, the drier turned on and a new load of washing in the machine AND I was ready for a rest!!
Then, no word of a lie, a conversation went exactly like this ….
Me (you, know, Mum): Hey, I’ve been able to put on a full face of make up in less time than it’s taken you (to Mr 15) to tie only one shoelace!
Mr 15: Slight grunt which may or may not have been an acknowledgement of me speaking. Who could be sure?
Mr 13: Where are you going today, Mum?
Me: To work. It’s Wednesday, you know I go to work on Wednesdays.
Mr 13: Well, why do you need to wear make up?
Me: To disguise how FREAKING tired I am!!!!!!
Mr 13: Oh …
Mr 15: Grunt …
It may be time for some new tactics …. like winding the clocks forward an hour or so to up the ante, or better still going on mum-strike in demand of a pay rise and better working conditions.
What do we want?
The right to have teenagers contribute to the household in a meaningful way!!!
When do we want it??
NOW!!!!
I’m off to paint a placard! Who’s with me?
* I originally published this post on www.familysurvivalcoach.com