I’m sure all moms can relate (at least I hope you can) to feeling that you’ve changed immensely since becoming a mom. In my five and a half years of parenting, I certainly have. There are the quite obvious physical changes, but also subtler personality changes too. I quite frequently reflect on my pre-kid days and wonder what the heck did I do with all that free TIME or oh how I miss sleeping. Mostly though I wish I could be that focused again. For the last six years I’ve been in a thick fog that I just can’t shake.
In the beginning I thought it was just me. I couldn’t seem to concentrate or throw myself into projects I once did and assumed it to be my inability to juggle effectively. However, I quite quickly realized something different. It’s obvious to me now, but perhaps, just maybe, I can’t focus, fully concentrate, or seemingly get anything accomplished because I have a 24-hour job raising little kids.
I, of course, can’t remember the source but I know that I read that the average 2-3 year old requires their caregiver’s attention every 3 minutes. Add in another kid, or factor in a child with some special needs and I’m sure that number drops significantly. Tasks that might take a childless person, say 10 minutes, drag out to hours. That sentence alone took me 20 minutes to write because Gia woke up prematurely from her nap. Anyway, as you all well know, even a ‘simple’ undertaking as say, running to the grocery store for eggs turns into a several hour affair. That reminds me, why is it that every time we are running late, there is a last minute diaper to be changed? Is this some sort of joke played on all mothers?
Oh and forget about having any sort of an adult conversation with a child present. I frequently have wished that woman could grow two extra arms and another pair of eyes for themselves when becoming pregnant. It only seems fair; perhaps those extra organs and appendages could tend to a child while the other ones make dinner? I think for parents of multiples, young ones born really close together, or kiddos with special needs this is a must.
Oh… wait… I’m being called…..
As I was saying, my life is all about interruptions, not sleeping (we are still having issues, it must be a curse), and not having the ability to form a full thought in my juggling brain. It’s not to say that this situation won’t get better, I’m sure it will. Or maybe I’m headed into early onset dementia and it won’t. Hard to say at this point. So for now I’ll just blame the kids.
Anyway…um..…what was I saying?
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