1. THIS BOOK finally came for me on Libby, and it is SO GOOD. Even if you are not on social media, the way she so neatly explains intersections of mothering, neoliberalism, feminism, race, class, gender, etc, is really great to read. Also I found a bunch of new accounts to cringe-follow, which is terrible, actually. (READ THE BOOK!!) The clash between structures that can’t support caregiving and social media’s rendering of that lack of support as bad personal choices is applicable to, um, everything that’s wrong with the world.
2. Errand Fridays are an excellent idea BUT some errands are time sensitive, which is how I wasted the extra hour of preschool Minnie has on Wednesdays at Menards buying dryer venting. Boo hiss. And then Thursday saw me picking up a curbside Target order, buying cheese and wine, and trying out Aldi for the first time in forever because MOAR SNOW on the way.
But Minnie had extra cute hair, so that’s something.
Also, at Wednesday drop off, another kid in her class was really whiny and didn’t want their parent to leave, and the parent told Minnie’s teacher the kid has an ear infection and also diarrhea but just from the ear infection meds and THIS IS WHY WE ARE ALL SICK ALL THE TIME.
3. Dorothy has a New Year’s resolution to read for an hour a day and also journal about her reading. She keeps track of what she liked about the book and what she thinks is going to happen next— THIS IS DARLING
4. Minnie added these dollhouse lamps to my bookshelf, and I am here for it.
What I am less here for? NOT HAVING TIME TO READ BOOKS. I am in the middle of 2 but haven’t had consistent time to read them, and also DOING ALL THE HOUSEWORK. I don’t think I realized how much Ben was doing on his WFH days and how easy it was to work 2 full days out of the house and have NO responsibility. I gotta make a chart and figure out who can do what instead of me. Weekly cleaner for the big stuff FOR SURE, but it is the maintenance that is getting me. Bah humbug. I DO NOT WANT more takeout or eating in restaurants for health reasons, but the meal prep, etc, is a whole bunch.
But also! I am doing not smart things with my time that I know are not smart while I am doing them. So. There’s that. My problem is like 65% structural inequality but 35% BAD TIME MANAGEMENT.
5. Jack’s 4th grade teacher (who also had Dorothy and Coop) sent me this photo from her awesome end-of-semester pancake party in 2017. WE WERE BABIES. I want to tell these cuties to BUCKLE UP. Also, I was wearing that apron without any irony, and that sweatshirt is still in my closet because the way to make fast fashion ethical is to be a mom with too many kids and wear those clothes FOREVER like they’re HEIRLOOMS.
I don't think it has anything to do with bad time management. I think that we all need white space and so what you might consider poor time management is just your soul knowing it needs to inject that white space. If you're perfectly productive all the time...you're a robot? I think you juggle SO many things at such a high level and under-sell everything you do. Just my two cents. You're rocking this but it's also okay to let some things go if now feels like the right time. Not that you need an internet friend to give you permission for these sorts of things, but you HAVE MY PERMISSION.
ReplyDeleteMaintenance is exhausting and I only have two kids and don't have a big career. Other than outsourcing...I am fresh out of ideas because I think already maximize SO much SO well.
I ordered that book from my library; it's available! Yay.
I agree re: white spaces but I should not fill that space with social media.
DeleteI am so curious about your nursery school’s sick child policy! Did the child with the ear infection plus side effects stay for school?
ReplyDeleteIt boggles my mind because it is THREE HOURS, so not work childcare, you know? But, I mean, if the cold or whatever caused the ear infection is gone (fever free for 24 hours w/o meds is the standard), then a kid on abx could go to school. And maybe the upset stomach was from meds???
DeleteDo you think a chapter of Momfluenced would work for undergrads? I may have to take a look for my mediating gender & sex class…!
ReplyDeleteYES. I am going to use a chapter on the cult of domesticity in my campaigns and revolutions class. She also does a super god job of citing heavy hitting academic theory and then talking to the person on the phone to explain it in conversational terms.
Delete1) I HAVE THAT BOOK ON HOLD! I've had it on hold for a while and now I have to pause my hold because we are going away for a week and I don't want it to come in when I'm not here to pick it up.
ReplyDelete2) What the what, that poor child.
3) Dorothy is my people.
4) Dollhouse lamps!
5) That picture is so sweet. One popped up on my FB memories of me with the boys at preschool tea, and wow, was it cute.
I love those old memory pics— good thing they pop up because I have outsourced a good part of my memory to my phone
DeleteYou need some downtime too, Sarah--how can one be productive every waking minute?! Maybe whiling away time gives you the patience and alertness for child caretaking later in the day. IDK, that was certainly true for me.
ReplyDelete"Aw" for that picture of you and Jack from the pancake party--Jack looks like a baby, you look the SAME!! What sorcery is this?!
I do think that’s true re: me time during preschool hours. I am trying to figure out what my priorities in a given day should be from a happiness perspective.
DeleteSo. Much. Snow. That is all. Godspeed to you and your family. I hope you can dig out.
ReplyDeletePaul had major issues w/ ABX so they let us continue to send him when he had more BMs per day than they normally would allow. It wasn't "diarrhea" per se because he was 5-9 months at this time so all of his BMs were runny. We tried probiotics but nothing seemed to help. Which is why I was SO GLAD when he got tubes at 9 months and we could be done w/ ABX. They were terrible for him! I hope that child's BMs truly were related to the meds and not a sign of anything else amiss!
ReplyDeleteWe were supposed to go to my parents this weekend but had to cancel our trip because of the extreme cold/high wind/potentially icy roads. I'm so bummed and the boys and my parents are too. We have not gotten the snow you guys have! We just barely have some ground cover but might get 6" today. The boys would like to get some snow so they can go sledding! But we need it to not be like -20F.
I love the cute hair. It IS so cute. That book sounds really interesting. The doll house lamps is so stinking funny. I am really in need of making a master schedule to keep the house clean and not have it all fall to me, or have it not happen, which is our reality and I'm not having that anymore. We do not have a weekly cleaner, well - we do but it's me. That photo is so cute and I laughed at your explanation of the wardrobe items. I love looking at old pictures and sometimes I think OH, I REMEMBER THAT. I WORE IT ALL THE TIME. I also sometimes realize WOW, I STILL WEAR THAT.
ReplyDeleteCute hair is cute, dollhouse lamps are adorable, darling book journaling is DARLING.
ReplyDeleteRe bad time management - part of the reason I read fewer books than some last year is not doing audiobooks, and the other part is DOOMSCROLLING while screaming internally at myself to stop.
Book is on hold.
I would try not to send sick kids to school but Eve definitely reacted badly in a gut sense to antibiotics even when no longer sick. It sucks.
My old pictures have almost no articles of clothing I do not own anymore. I should address this.
I love that sweatshirt! My brother (seriously) has one like it and he rocks it with pride.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note I want to mention that you told me to read Mr. Mercedes and I am reading it and it is really good so far. I actually did not know what to expect, given his past in horror, but it is a good read! I will let you know what I think once I am done.
Instead of fast food, would it help to focus on fast-prep home food? Thin-cut pork chops with a little salt and olive oil cook in 10 mins. Shrimp can be fried in butter skillet in 3-5 mins. Eggs fried or scrambled in 5 mins. Pasta and meatballs can be made in 15 mins. If you cook bacon the night before, BLT sandwiches can be assembled relatively quickly. Those are a few of our go-to nights when there’s a time crunch!
ReplyDeleteOMG Dorothy! I love her New Year's resolution and journaling about what she's reading. So sweet!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you keep up with housework. I can barely keep up with my own tiny apartment!
That picture of you and Jack!! I cannot.
I got the book!! Miraculously it was available- plowing through it and enjoying it very much!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I swear, you do not age. I know you disagree, but...
ReplyDeleteAnd also, having to feed 7 people daily for multiple meals would probably send me over the edge. Wow. Hang in there. Tis that week, now (commenting soooo late...).