After Puttachi gets back from school at about 1 pm, I have a total of just six hours with her before she goes to bed. In these six hours, we have to fit in two meals, one milk+fruits+junk session, and then of course she wants to play at the park, she wants a bedtime story, she absolutely has to do play-acting, and then - drawing/painting/craft/music - whatever she wants to do.
And these six hours are just not enough for everything. Of course, sometimes we skip going to the park, and on other days, we end up not doing any activities, but even then, it is too short a time.
And this paucity of time is worsened by the fact that her mealtimes stretch on and on and on... she is a good eater, but she is a dreamer too. Her mealtimes are full of chatter and dreaming with food in her mouth, and forgetting to eat because she found the edge of the tablecloth far too interesting....
And sometimes, at the end of dinner which has gone beyond her bedtime, she is so sleepy that a bedtime story is not possible. And many times she has to go to bed with a puzzle unfinished, or a book half-read, or without having spent some of her excess energy running around in the park.
As a result, I have turned into this monstrous machine who goes on saying "bega, bega, bega..." (quick, quick, quick) - I keep urging her to finish, and get on with it... and I get impatient if she dilly-dallies - and at the end of the day, after I have tucked her into bed, I feel exhausted and miserable at the same time.
We do enjoy a lot of spontaneous play, and kidding around, we aren't missing out on that - but I get all worked up when she takes too long at a task, because that means we'll have to cut back on something else, or else the evening tea session will get too close to dinner, for which she might not have an appetite left - it is all a terrible mess.
The poor thing - I hate to hurry her like that. I hope I find my balance soon.
And these six hours are just not enough for everything. Of course, sometimes we skip going to the park, and on other days, we end up not doing any activities, but even then, it is too short a time.
And this paucity of time is worsened by the fact that her mealtimes stretch on and on and on... she is a good eater, but she is a dreamer too. Her mealtimes are full of chatter and dreaming with food in her mouth, and forgetting to eat because she found the edge of the tablecloth far too interesting....
And sometimes, at the end of dinner which has gone beyond her bedtime, she is so sleepy that a bedtime story is not possible. And many times she has to go to bed with a puzzle unfinished, or a book half-read, or without having spent some of her excess energy running around in the park.
As a result, I have turned into this monstrous machine who goes on saying "bega, bega, bega..." (quick, quick, quick) - I keep urging her to finish, and get on with it... and I get impatient if she dilly-dallies - and at the end of the day, after I have tucked her into bed, I feel exhausted and miserable at the same time.
We do enjoy a lot of spontaneous play, and kidding around, we aren't missing out on that - but I get all worked up when she takes too long at a task, because that means we'll have to cut back on something else, or else the evening tea session will get too close to dinner, for which she might not have an appetite left - it is all a terrible mess.
The poor thing - I hate to hurry her like that. I hope I find my balance soon.
12 comments:
it seems your life is pretty hectic and interesting too.
www.rajnishonline.blogspot.com
Hey Shruthi, relax! You know, this is probably the first time I've seen you as something less than supermom. I always feel rather inadequate as a mother after reading your posts. You seem like the most 'perfect mom/wife/person' ever! Well, this one shows that you are human too...
So chill...BTW, I'm sure Puttachi will have something to say about your "Bega bega" soon...
Hey S,
Why not cut back on some of the activities that you have packed for her in a day. Instead of trying to do it all, maybe doing just a few of the activities at a relaxed pace might help you in feeling less tired and more happy. my 2 cents....
-SJ
Hey Shruthi!So here is your latest blog, the one that I was waiting for :)
I do the same thing with my daughter as well-'quick,quick,quick'.Makes me feel bad too..wonder how these kids put up with us monstrous moms who don't let them dream longer, play longer ,eat longer..
love you both!xoxo.
You try to keep her busy and active and creative all at the same time. And I'm sure you are doing a good job :) But don't 'bega bega' the kid. Let her dream (ofcourse upto a point). You can cut down some of her activities or plan different things for different days. I'm not a mother yet but a massive dreamer, so taking Puttachi's side :P
Rajnish, no, not very hectic, but yes, interesting.
Rajk, I'm sorry I appeared that way. Not fair :) I am nowhere near perfect - I try to do my best, and make an attempt not to crib or wash my dirty linen on my blog, that's all ;)
SJ, I don't have any activities "planned" for her which I simply insist that she must do or anything like that. Even the basic activities of life take up six hours when done by a dreamer!
Nithya, there, I knew I would have company ;)
CC, love you both too ;)
Old timer, I am a dreamer too, and that is why I feel sorry for her. Because as a mother, I must see that she gets a few basic things done everyday!
hmm.
Can I order a recording of that, I could use it myself.
I sit and do nothing for HOURS. Sach!
Hi Shruthi,,, after reading all ur blogging abt puttachi, i've developed a feeling of seeing ur puttachi photo:); if possible upload onca!!!
Abt myself :: yes, I'm Anonymous reader of ur blog, came to know abt you through The Hindu article;;
Shruthi, I know exactly what you mean. And seeing the other comments which echo the same, I can now picture millions of moms around the world (including myself) saying "bega, bega" to their children in an universal mommy chant. It is scary, huh ;-)
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