Stay at home mama

NOTE: I had written this before this absurd reality began. This was life before Covid, and before isolation. Life is of course different at the moment but I enjoyed reading this and it really made me miss the little things from before, such as taking Theo to groups and watching the boys at their clubs. This was my view of life from a stay at home mum just a few months ago.


When I made the decision to stay at home it was for lots of reasons. To not miss out on Theo growing up. To be home for the big kids before and after school. - to help with homework and take them to clubs.
Then I made the choice to begin studying, so began a degree with the open University studying psychology. I did just one module meaning that it was only 15 hours a week, that I found I could complete quicker than that most of the time.
About a year ago I also had ideas of creating pamper boxes and selling them through etsy. It started as a hobby, and gradually I started selling more boxes and adapting the products.A year on I feel pretty successful and proud of what I have achieved on my own, whilst doing the other things I have mentioned. Being a full time mum, part time uni student, and business owner. Currently my free time is almost non existent. After dropping the boys at school its a full on day with 2 year old Theo, who currently refuses his morning naps, and needs to be kept busy ( as all little kids do). I usually try and fit in a little housework, and some shopping during the day, before its time to get the boys from school. 3 days a week they have clubs so its a bit of a juggle trying to get any reading and homework done, as well as timing lunch time so they are eating with enough time before they run around at clubs. I usually take advantage of them being home and get a few more jobs done around the house if  one of them is sitting and playing with Theo. Most days anything tidied and cleaned in the day is back to looking a complete mess by this time anyway. So we do clubs, and games and homework an playing until Marcus gets home from work. At this point im usually apologetic about the state of the house, because although I seemed to have being doing things all day the house still looks a mess. --- 3 boys!! Marcus never minds of course, and we begin the calm down for the boys bed times. Usually I take the half an hour when he gets home before bed times to go and make up boxes for Dougie and Jarvis - our little business, making a start on any orders, and any messages that need seeing to. Its then bed time for Toby, who currently likes to listen to a CD story if he's not asking why Jack gets to stay up longer than him. Jack gets to spend a little bit longer either with us or doing something by himself as he is older and I think it's important he's allowed to feel older and independent from Tobes. Once the boys are in bed Me and Marcus are usually enjoy a dinner he has cooked together. Theo is currently a bit hit and miss at bedtimes, and although some days we manage to get him to bed before dinner, more often than not he stays down with us, so we can actually enjoy sitting down for 10 minutes rather than laying him down in his bed over and over.

After that I usually have some Uni work to do, and the rest of packaging products to sort out. Most evenings I have to do something business related, whether making up gifts, taking photos and managing the site, printing off  labels, or sorting out packaging, address labels. and note cards. Recently the business has been doing well which I am obviously happy about. But means that I havn't been sitting down to relax until gone 10 clock, when I am exhausted but my brain is still going from the day. By the time I finally fall asleep its super late, and quality of sleep is pretty poor due to my 2 year old. Its  then time to wake up and do it again.!
Is it hard? Yes! Do I wish I had more time for me to do nothing? Yes! Would I change it? Of course not.
Everyone knows kids are often hard work, and require full on attention, but can you ignore the joy on their faces when you sit and read together, or you play their favourite games. When you pick them up from their clubs and they've achieved something they have been working at. So worth all the juggling, all the chaos. When you reach a record number of sales in a a day, a week, a month. When you receive a 5 star review, and have enough money to treat your family to dinner out. Worth it. Worth every minute of hard work and juggling family life and work.


Its chaotic and its beautiful, and currently exhausted me is grateful that I get to do it all.