Kiddipedia
It’s the little things, after having kids, that I never truly appreciated before. Things that seemed mundane or even boring that nowadays feel like a trip to the day spa.
Don’t get me wrong, I love those two little beasts of mine even as they are currently both in separate bedrooms wailing and thrashing on the floor because I wouldn’t let them continue their war of attempting to brain one another by throwing hard plastic Avenger figurines at each other’s faces.
I adore those two cheeky little monkeys, with their cherubic faces. Even as they smirk and giggle after getting reprimanded. Even as they decide to throw themselves face down in the supermarket at my refusal to buy them each a bag of smarties and a chocolate milk. Even as they reject their dinner that I made especially for them upon their adamant request that I drop everything and make it specifically.
Even as I do love being their mother, as hard as I can find it on any given day, there are a few little things that I enjoy today that I absolutely took for granted before they were born.
- Showering: Before I had kids, a shower was certainly not an activity that I held in a particularly high regard however now the idea of taking a shower without interruption feels like a dream. A shower these days consists of an audience of children and a dog all vying for my attention. A head of shampoo while opening a snack box, a half-shaved leg while refereeing an argument over a toy car, a yet unrinsed mop of hair while jumping out of a still running shower to a screaming toddler…not so relaxing.
- Waking up on my own: I mean, waking up because my body clock decided it was time not waking up to the cries of a child, or the torch light of a 4-year-old who can’t find his sock in the bed or to the slurps of dog licks to the face. Just waking up because I have had enough rest and then slowly taking my time to get out of bed.
- Eating a meal uninterrupted: Just eating a whole meal without having to get up to fill up cups, clean up spills, break up disagreements…eating an entire meal in one go before it gets cold is such a treat these days and one I never cared about before.
- Grocery shopping without kids: It seems like such a boring chore but the act of being able to go shopping at the supermarket without negotiating the confectionary and toy aisles is precious! Most of the time I go shopping with kids I either end up packing it in and leaving before its finished or forgetting several important items on the list. Going by myself is like a holiday, just quiet – me time.
- Eating out after dark: Some kids, mine included, don’t travel well after bed time. Mine start to grow fangs and fur if it gets too late and so the notion of going out to dinner became a distant memory. This year due to illness in my little one, I have been out to dinner on two occasions and so any chance I do get to go out anywhere in the evenings without kids feels very opulent indeed.
- Trips away: Before kids my husband and I would regularly have spontaneous little weekend trips away here and there. They were carefree and easy, nice and relaxing. Going away with children requires military like precision and planning. It requires risk assessment, planning for all kinds of weather conditions, toys and activities to keep them entertained not to mention food, nappies, adequate sleep spaces and ensuring accommodation is suitable for children anyway. Not so carefree, not so relaxing.
- Quiet: I used to like putting music on when I was at home just to have some background noise, nowadays my favourite sound is nothing. I like sitting with the tv off and not listening to anything. In a house filled with laughter, squeals, screeches, cries and an abundance of inane toddler questions the sound of silence has never been more satisfying.
My time before having children, before becoming enslaved to my tiny tyrants, today feels like a former life and I wouldn’t change what I have in this life for anything. That doesn’t mean though that I can’t still take pleasure in seemingly small moments of contentment that I never really valued before.
May your children help you to appreciate the little things in life, may you get to use the bathroom in peace and may you even get to drink your coffee while it’s still hot! Feel the luxury.
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