I don’t want to get out of bed, I don’t want to get dressed, I don’t want to have to leave the house—I just want to stay warm on my couch.
I’ve decided to send my daughter to daycare even though I’m at home on maternity leave. Since I’m the one taking care of the kids and am on my own 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I think I deserve a little time to myself when my baby is asleep, since I’m on call all the time. It’s made breastfeeding easier for me and lets me take little naps the morning after a rough night. My oldest gets to see people other than her brother and me; she plays with friends and socializes.
Let me tell you, there are days when I’ve regretted this choice, especially in the winter. Having to get myself and the kids dressed, put on winter coats, and struggle with their boots… Shoveling the path to the car, scraping the ice off the windshield, warming up the car—all just to drop my daughter off at daycare. My daycare is a 5-minute drive away, but getting ready to go there takes three times as long. At least when Dad’s home, we don’t have to bundle up the baby and take her out into the cold just for a quick round trip. Often, if Dad’s home, I send him instead, because I don’t want to go out in the cold—and I use the excuse that I need to breastfeed—but hey, that’s just me!
There have been times when I’ve been lazy and called the daycare to say my daughter would stay home, just because I didn’t feel like it or didn’t have the energy to venture outside. I’ve done it in the summer, too. In those cases, I convince myself it’s for my kids’ own good—to let them sleep in a little longer. You, too, have the right to be lazy from time to time—don’t feel bad about it, and you don’t even need an excuse!
These impromptu days are often great, and we spend most of them in our pajamas. We watch movies, do crafts, play outside, go for bike rides, or do all sorts of activities. Plus, on weekdays, there’s much less of a crowd for outdoor activities.
In short, after dropping my daughter off at daycare, there are two possibilities. The first is to tell myself that I’m already out and can run errands or take care of whatever I need to do. The second is: hurry, hurry, hurry—get back home! You don’t have to go out again until you pick her up, so take this chance to change back into your pajamas!!!
Sophie-Anne