Between doing school runs, housework and more or less running a restaurant for 3 kids (who couldn’t possibly eat the same thing as each other for every meal), time is often in short supply. Finding a few minutes to listen to each one read every day (or every other day) and then assist with homework when the inevitable “I can’t do it” comes, even though I know they are more than capable, can be more than just a little frustrating.
None of them wants to do homework until another is doing it, which of course makes helping them even harder. There are times when I just want to tell them all to bugger off and leave me alone or just run and hide in my bedroom.
And then, of course, there comes the struggle of trying to have ‘quality’ but non-homework time with each child. There’s my 10-year-old daughter Aimee who has two ideas of ‘quality’ time. There’s either going shopping and spending money buying more stuff that she doesn’t need, or there is deciding she wants to stay at home the weekend she’s supposed to go to her dad’s. Now as much as I love my kids, I must admit I do look forward to my weekend off, once a fortnight. Even if I don’t go anywhere or see anyone, it is necessary to have a bit of quiet time to be able to hear the voices in my head instead of little voices constantly asking for something, Ok, so I don’t really have voices in my head but I do like to talk to myself… sometimes I just need an expert opinion!!
My 7-year-old son Liam is actually a lot easier to please. It doesn’t matter what we do, he’s just happy to be around me. Whether it’s a quiet cuddle, watching over me cooking or just being in the same room while he’s drawing. And then there’s my baby girl Cerys, 5 years old but still struggling with the fact she’s not actually a baby anymore. She just constantly wants cuddles… I suppose I should be grateful, because I know she’ll be wanting to go shopping and spending money like her sister soon enough!
My biggest problem at the moment is the fact that the sun has started to appear again after school. Homework, reading, even cuddles have gone straight out of the window. One day recently I spent all day doing my laundry and a bit of housework, went to pick the kids up from school… I spent 10 minutes with my little darlings before they all went out to play in the park. I’m not sure if I should be glad for the peace and quiet or concerned that they don’t want to spend any time with their mum!!