Saturday, May 29, 2004
Single Parenting
This long weekend, I am getting a taste of what it is like to be a single parent. Leelee's dad is out of town for his high-school reunion. In no way am I claiming that my 3 days being with her, compares in any way to raising a baby single-handedly. I do think that I am getting a feel for it though and so far, it stinks.
First of all, it is incredibly hard, physically and mentally. You do not get a break.
Usually, in the evenings, when he gets home, I can hand Leelee off to him and take a hot shower, or go for a walk or watch some trashy TV. The days and evenings are bearable, the nights are a little rougher. I am used to the luxury of not getting out of bed for diaper changes and such.. i just lay there and the baby gets attached to me and has her milk and is put back in the crib. Sometimes, I am completely oblivious of what is happening. During the day, I have to constantly keep an eye on her, especially since she is getting into EVERYTHING these days. Yesterday she managed to jam her hand in the diaper-pail.. then she almost managed to topple the speaker over....then she almost ate a plastic bag!!!
So I have learned to adapt.
Dare I say that she gets a little more crib-time than usual.. she is in a safe place, with her toys, so it is not that bad.. and I need to be able to go to the bathroom, vacuum etc. without worrying about where she is!
Another thing, I actually put Leelee in a disposable diaper at night.. it holds in that much more pee, and I do not have to change her. I know, bad mommy.. but I am tired!!! She doesn't have the words to complain but she must prefer her cotton diapers to the plasticy disposables.
Apart from the physical and mental tiredness, I imagine the thing that would bother me the most if I were a full-time single parent, would be the loneliness. Also, the inability to share the baby's day to day activities with someone. I mean, Leelee does new things every single day... sweet little things that I can share with her dad. Even nasty little things like she has not pooped today etc. which nobody else really cares about!
Oh, and the other thing.. i really think that a baby needs two parents.. just for variety. Leelee is so excited and thrilled when she sees Daddy come home in the evenings. She saves her biggest and best smiles for him. I think she would be incredibly bored if it were just me!
Anyway, those are my thoughts for the day.. time to see why Leelee is refusing to nap.
First of all, it is incredibly hard, physically and mentally. You do not get a break.
Usually, in the evenings, when he gets home, I can hand Leelee off to him and take a hot shower, or go for a walk or watch some trashy TV. The days and evenings are bearable, the nights are a little rougher. I am used to the luxury of not getting out of bed for diaper changes and such.. i just lay there and the baby gets attached to me and has her milk and is put back in the crib. Sometimes, I am completely oblivious of what is happening. During the day, I have to constantly keep an eye on her, especially since she is getting into EVERYTHING these days. Yesterday she managed to jam her hand in the diaper-pail.. then she almost managed to topple the speaker over....then she almost ate a plastic bag!!!
So I have learned to adapt.
Dare I say that she gets a little more crib-time than usual.. she is in a safe place, with her toys, so it is not that bad.. and I need to be able to go to the bathroom, vacuum etc. without worrying about where she is!
Another thing, I actually put Leelee in a disposable diaper at night.. it holds in that much more pee, and I do not have to change her. I know, bad mommy.. but I am tired!!! She doesn't have the words to complain but she must prefer her cotton diapers to the plasticy disposables.
Apart from the physical and mental tiredness, I imagine the thing that would bother me the most if I were a full-time single parent, would be the loneliness. Also, the inability to share the baby's day to day activities with someone. I mean, Leelee does new things every single day... sweet little things that I can share with her dad. Even nasty little things like she has not pooped today etc. which nobody else really cares about!
Oh, and the other thing.. i really think that a baby needs two parents.. just for variety. Leelee is so excited and thrilled when she sees Daddy come home in the evenings. She saves her biggest and best smiles for him. I think she would be incredibly bored if it were just me!
Anyway, those are my thoughts for the day.. time to see why Leelee is refusing to nap.
