I have been feeling guilty these past weeks regarding the quality of Andrea’s mornings. She usually spends an hour to an hour and a half watching TV while I rush to finish everything I needed to do in the morning. I feel very strongly that this is not how a toddler’s morning should be.
Friday, I woke up early with Andrea. She said she wanted to watch Dora…I asked her if she wanted to read a book instead and she ran to her bookshelf and got all her books. We read for around 30 minutes then she got restless.
Puzzles were next on her agenda. She spent the first 2 minutes trying to say the word PUZZLE (it ended up sounding like pushle) and then she concentrated on it. Next was breakfast, followed by her bath. I thought she would have had enough of me by that time so I said goodbye so I can go to work. To my surprise she started crying. I’m not talking about toddler whines or fake cry but this one is real crying complete with tears. It broke my heart but I had no choice but to go to work.
Imagine my glee when my dinner plans that night were cancelled. I rushed to my grandmother’s house, picked her up and we went to a small mall near our place and went to Timezone to play basketball. We then went home where Andrea found her Dad waiting for her with 6 CHICKS!!! 6 chicks = one happy baby = one unhappy mommy. Aaarrrggghh.
Saturday was spent swimming, playing, etc. No TV the whole day for Andrea and No internet for Mommy. I think Andrea enjoyed the day so much she refused to sleep…she didn’t sleep till 3am the next day.
Sunday was family day. She ate her favorite egg pie for breakfast, then she started painting. Then we went to the mall where she spent 2 hours inside the grocery cart “fixing” our groceries. Then we went home, she napped for a few minutes. As soon as she woke up it was off to the play ground with Mommy and Daddy.
She was so happy during the weekend that I can’t help but feel guilty about having to work and not devoting that much time to her every single day. (that guilt didn’t last long, I know I need my work for my sanity…i’ll go crazy if I had to stay at home)
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March 26, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Marj
I so know what you are going through. I feel that I’m missing out on things but Carlos points out that I do spend quality time with her. Still though.
March 27, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Liv
I personally feel that my time away with Andrea allows me to recharge and be a better person when I’m with her. I’m really not cut out for staying at home full time.
Is Carlos still the one taking care of Rachel when you’re away?
March 27, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Marj
Yup. We have both decided not to put Rachel in daycare which means one of us has to stay at home. Since I earn significantly more than him, then I am the one that goes to work. He still has his paper shop in Manila, and he monitors that during the night via internet. He also does the ordering for new materials/paper for the shop from here. But those just takes a few hours to do. The rest his main job is to take care of Rachel.