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A working mum's morning
by Eleanor McKee, Summer 2006
It’s
0625 and my alarm has just gone off, well at least I think that
is what happened. It could have been the hand of my 14
month old son slapping me across the face. Yes he was
in with us again last night, he just can’t seem to shift
this cough and cold and at 3am it just seemed easier to take
him in with us. Maybe the wrong thing as he wanted to
play and did not seem to realise that it was the middle of the
night and Mummy and Daddy wanted their sleep as they were working
the next day. So another day has begun.
As
I heave myself out of bed, note to self must try and lose weight,
my bones are stiff and ache, but I remember to put the pillow
over the side of the bed to ensure that my beloved son does
not fall out. His Daddy is of course sound asleep on his
other side; it would take a bomb going off to wake him today.
Funny that sometimes he gets up in the middle of the night and
other nights he manages to sleep through the whole thing!!
Is that a common occurrence with other Dads? Mmmm I am
getting side tracked, where was I?
Yes
it is time for the shower, this bit of the day I do love, it
is time for me, before anyone else is up and the race against
the clock begins. So I savour and make the most of it, well
as much as you can a quick 5 minute douche! By the time
I am out Daddy has eventually stirred and is staggering his
way to the shower. There are now two pillows on
the bed and my son is still sleeping soundly. Typical,
why could he not do that at 3am?
So
I get dressed, well not dressed for work of course that would
be really silly. I learnt that very early on. It
just takes one snotty nose, or breakfast covered face, to turn
a professional working woman into a less than perfectly turned
out working mum. So it is an old top, with the one for
work waiting to be put on at the last minute.
0645
phew, I am on a roll today. Time to get downstairs and
get breakfast organised. Bowls times four, breakfast cereal
times four, well we all have to be different. Weetabix for my
son, well he is still young, it’s Bran Flakes for my daughter.
Oh yes I have a daughter who is four, she is still asleep at
the moment. My husband likes porridge and I like my Special
K, not that I have the body to go with the advert but I live
in hope! Anyway milk on the table, cereal in bowls, cups
out too and we are ready for the next stage…..
0655
time to wake my daughter. Now this can take a minute or
sometimes five and there is very little room for slippage!
Husband is now out of the shower and getting dressed, funny
how he does dress for work, is it just the mums that attract
all the muck?
Anyway
daughter is awake and moaning about the mess her hair is in,
she has just got up for goodness sake and she is only four!!!
Now have to wake son who is such a sweetie that he is up and
ready to go, no complaints. So we all head downstairs
for breakfast.
0705
son strapped in high chair, daughter at table, husband making
porridge in microwave, it’s time for breakfast.
Daughter insists that she wants Special K this morning, she
always has Bran Flakes!!! Why today? Have already
added raisins to mine and she does not want those, so instead
of swapping bowls I have to get her another one and start all
over again. Eventually she gets started; I try and eat
mine while feeding my son. Problem now is he wants to
hold the spoon; I am trying to avoid being splattered with weetabix,
while eating my breakfast, feeding him and trying to coax my
daughter to eat hers faster. She is going as fast as she
can she says and wants someone to help her.
0708
porridge is ready so husband joins us at the table. He
now takes over coaxing daughter and I can concentrate on son,
and keeping myself clean.
0712
we are still at the table, daughter has lots left and on major
go slow but son is eating like there is no tomorrow.
0715
we are still eating……..
0718
Quick wipe of the kids faces and it is upstairs to get them
dressed. Son easy, he wears what I have left out for him,
no questions asked, so once his nappy is changed, he is dressed,
face washed, teeth brushed and is ready to go.
0725
daughter’s turn. The only clean clothes were the
jeans that I know she does not like; this is going to be fun.
So deep breath and with the clock ticking….. Let’s
get dressed. All going well until she spots the jeans.
“I am not wearing those, I don’t like them, they
hurt my legs and make my tummy sore”….. I have heard
all the excuses, for some reason she does not like them.
Anyway eventually get her in the top and compromise on the trousers,
they are light pink, thin cotton, last summer’s trousers
but the ones she spied at the bottom of the drawer and wants
to wear. We don’t have time…so it is face
washed and teeth brushed and the light pink trousers!
0735
daughter watching the telly, son in travel cot to ensure he
does not eat the coals on the gas fire again and I have to get
myself ready. Husband has got himself ready and is now
organising the lunches and food for the kids. So I dash
back upstairs, contact lenses in, teeth brushed and make-up
on, except for the lippy, nothing worse than the kids having
bright lippy marks on their faces!!! Change my top and
put my jacket on.
0743
we might just make it…back downstairs. Daughter’s
hair needs to be tied back, but she yelps at the tuggy bits,
son now screaming at being left in the travel cot. Lunches
ready and husband now putting all the bags in car. Coats
to put on, son out of travel cot so stops crying, shoes next.
Son now makes a dash for the front door, get to him just in
time.
0747
I think we are ready. Everyone out and in the car and
we are off, let’s hope we get parked. First of all
drop husband at bus stop, he just makes his bus.
0752
have found a parking space! Get the buggy out and strap son
in. Next it’s the bags; 2 lunch bags, 2 spare clothes
bags, 1 bag for ballet, and 1 bag with the nursery library book,
my handbag and my rucksack. Is the weight of my son going
to be enough to counterbalance all this weight, I hope so.
Get daughter out, coat back on, she will not keep it on in the
car and hat and gloves on too.
0805
get to the nursery, well the baby unit. Deliver son, he screams
when he is handed over and stretches out his hands to me.
I have to usher my daughter out and not look back. Thankfully
as we leave I see him laughing and playing with the other children.
Fold up buggy and put it in the buggy park. Pick up all
the bags, well minus the 2 we have just left and head down to
the main nursery.
0810
buzz the door, why is no-one answering? Eventually we get in
and rush up the two flights of stairs. Coat, hat, gloves
and shoes off, doodles on, quick kiss and without a backwards
glance and she is off to join her friends. Ballet bag
and library book bag hung on peg and I pick up my bags and am
off.
0813
run along the high street I might just make the train…..
I am nearly there as the train pulls in. Take the stairs
two at a time, see you knew there was a reason for wearing flatties;
I have the killer heels in my bag!
0815
run onto the train just before the doors close. I have
made it. There is not a seat to be had but at least I
am on the train.
So
the working day begins. Well my second job, my first one
started two hours ago!!!!
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