Tata is on vacation next week, so I get my chance to be a stay-at-home-mom for three days. (A is taking off the last two.) I’m excited and a little nervous. I never have the opportunity to spend whole days alone with Gatito. If I were really a SAHM, I’d have more of a network of friends and kids around here (at least, I hope I would) and activities lined up. As it is, I am drawing a blank. Do you think Gatito would like to go outlet mall shopping? No? Well, then there is beach, playground, children’s museum, aquarium, library, pool… I’m sure we’ll figure it out.
I’d like to invite you to submit questions or topics you’d like me to cover as part of the working mom series. There are things I still want to hash out, but I’m struggling with how much I can write without getting dooced. There’s a lot of stuff swirling around in my pea brain.
In the meantime, enjoy the last week of summer! Man, did that go by fast or what?
I don’t know how relevant this is for you, but something that looms large for me on the work/home thing (and that I keep thinking I’m going to write about but haven’t gotten to yet) is the precedents our moms and moms-in-law set, how that shapes our ideas of what a “good mom” is. Maybe it’s just me, but I have this whole complicated guilt thing about liking to work.
Hope you enjoy the at-home time … or maybe I should be wishing you only *moderate* enjoyment of it, so that you end up happier with your current work situation?
How cool that you get some time alone with Gatito!
My (20 month old) girl likes the park/playground, the pool, the library, taking walks around the neighborhood (she walks and directs where we go/how fast), and the garden section at Home Depot/Lowes/local nurseries. When she and I have a day alone together I usually try to do an outdoor activity in the morning (local nursery), an indoor activity in the heat of the afternoon (library), and hit the local playground right before Hubby gets home. Have fun!
Hope you have a great time with Gatito! We did this one day last week and I was so excited, thinking that it would be so much fun, but they were sick and cranky, work kept calling me and, well, it was tough!! I hope that your day is much easier.
Actually – as a non-mom – I would love to know what things you were afraid of in parenting (beyond the logistics – more like raising a whole person) that weren’t a problem, and vice versa..
I worry alot about what kind of mom I will be – and I suspect I worry about the wrong things! (at least I want my worry to be fruitful!)
Are you planning any at home time, playing with playdough, or fingerpainting? I loved the getting out and about days, but it was also fun to stay home and play.
I would love for you to talk about how you manage dinner. Sometimes I manage to get something in the crock pot, but often we are standing in the kitchen at 5, looking around, clueless as to what to do about dinner.
Heh… When I get days with the girls we always start at the coffee shop, then do something fun for them, then something for me, then it’s nap time (and it’s all about me!)… Then something for them… then it’s dinner. The days go so fast! Enjoy!
I’ll have a post about working some day too… I’ll let you know when it happens. I’ve finally made some decisions! Yay me.
I don’t know, are you sure he won’t like shopping? Is there a train or carousel that he could go on or a toy store? Myabe you could go one day anyway and try to make it fun (of course, what do I know?!)
Not what you asked, but I’d like to know how Crazy and Hippo are adjusting to life with a toddler.
Aww! Enjoy your week with Gatito … I know you guys will have a blast!
You read my mind – as I sit here packing my school bag for tomorrow I was wondering where that long fun productive summer went?! (actually it was a long fun productive summer … I just don’t want it to be over)
Whatever you do, don’t take him with you to get a pedicure. I learned my lesson today!
Whatever you do, don’t take him with you to get a pedicure. I learned my lesson today!