It's Working?

It's been about a week of working at my new place of employment. Much has been accomplished but, I'm wondering if I've lost sight of my original goal to be a better mother...I'm sure you seasoned, wiser women read the post about the required duties of a nanny from a man's point of view and saw that it was really a call for a maid. After the first few days that's sort of what I thought too. I was getting quicker at my routine, I have learned how to prioritize my time just right so that I have an hour in the morning to get myself ready-blow dry my hair even-without interruption, dinner is now ready promptly at six unless prior arrangements have been made, I keep up with the laundry and have the dishes done before I go to bed every night. It feels amazing but it has evaporated any time alone with my husband and the time to play with the kids.


The new routine as stated before includes bribery to help the kids accomplish their daily tasks in an hour or less upon waking at eight-two tootsie rolls-one for finishing the list and a second for no complaints. I had one child tell me last Thursday-"I don't even mind doing chores now.". Saturday they were given two hours with their additional work load and one of them required a five minute grace period, the other had challenged himself and was done in just over an hour. I had increased  the prize to be a single snack size candy bar of their choice. They had accompanied me to the store to pick out the treats and were able to drool over them for a couple of days. Only one of them complained-losing the tootsie roll but all three of them finished. And I made it through without raising my voice or having to throw a tantrum. I was so happy the way things went, was it really that easy? Candy and a race against the kitchen timer? We continued the routine Sunday morning but I let them sleep in an extra hour, I think it's important to keep it going everyday if it's going to stick.


My experience with routine is a love hate relationship. I love the way it looks on other people. I try putting one in place with rigidness and lots of complicated agendas just like she does. It lasts as long as I can go without hitting my forehead against the sink, making me cut my bangs. Or I try a more manageable one and it sticks for a couple of weeks, a month maybe and then I go bored out of my mind and I'm back to banging my forehead on something. However, I do have a couple that have stuck for years-my rotation of themed dinner nights throughout the week and the kids chore rotation-that's it. Before now we haven't even enforced a bed time, ever. Now we say bedtime is between ten thirty and eleven. Sleeping until eight still allows for nine hours.


So it has been a positive experience in the afore mentioned ways but I still get frustrated and annoyed with them often throughout the day. I still yell at them to change their clothes because I don't want to be seen with them like that in public, I go to bed without tucking them in-it's more like "go to bed, stay in your room, I'll see you in the morning"- and they can tell that I'm deathly bored almost every time they start sharing something about their latest creation-the one I suggested that they make to whittle away the extra hours of the summer. Wow, how's that for nurturing? So I have a clean house and kids that get up and go to bed at the same time everyday with responsibilities. I know it's not time for a rest and  I feel up to new tasks. I feel like employee of the month, by way of my job description. What's next? Please feel free to leave your suggestions-what would the classified look like for "Mom"?