Peter returned from the jungle nearly a month ago and life has returned to its usual hectic but manageable pace. I make lunches while he feeds the kids. I get them dressed while he cleans up and packs the car. He takes them to school. I pick them up. I make dinner and he does the dishes while I give them a bath, and then he reads books. We both give kisses good night. It takes two to raise a family.
I have friends who do it solo all the time. It seems exhausting and overwhelming, but as the Solo Mama Month (with lots of help from my dad) proved, it's possible to do it on your own. You develop systems and build up endurance and do your best and hopefully work in some time for yourself. Worse than exhausting, solo is lonely. At the end of the day, after the kids are asleep and in the brief moment before we delve in to work, it's a relief to have someone to connect to, check in with, pay attention. How was your day? Why is Jasper so challenging in the morning? What should we do about Josie's school? Did you hear the news today? We only manage to eke out a few minutes, but its those minutes I mostly missed. It's such a relief to have my partner home.
(*and as I write this I am in Chicago while Peter braves a Solo Papa Weekend and I take some much needed R&R... he'll do just fine on his own!)
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1 comment:
i love this post. i love that i am not alone in that there really is such a small window of connecting time before diving into work...and it is at that moment that I like jason to be around to connect with and ask those exact types of questions. love your writing!
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