Since my husband headed back to work after his paternity leave, Mondays have been my most difficult days. He is home on the week-end, and my mother helps me all week except for Mondays.
Just before my husband returned to work, I considered hiring help on Mondays. How could I possibly handle three kids under age four on my own? But on the other hand, how would I find reliable help for one day a week... most professional nannies want full-time work. I thought of university students who are sometimes off one day a week, but would they have sufficient experience with young children?
In the end I decided to try it on my own to see how I fared. Somehow, I survived. I start off every Monday by reminding Baby #1 that I am all alone with three kids, and that I need her to be a "super good girl". Not only is she usually well-behaved, but I often hear her repeating my words while speaking to Baby #2: "I am all alone with you two, so you have to be a good girl." Between feeds, I place the baby in a front carrier, where she readily falls asleep. After breakfast, we head out to the park, returning just before lunch. At around 13h, I put Baby #2 down for a two hour nap... and it is smooth sailing after that. I suspect that things will get a little tougher as the outdoor temperature drops...
Thanksgiving Monday provided a reprieve as my husband was off work! We didn't do anything out of the ordinary, but the extra help was certainly appreciated. We took turns sleeping in, and after feeding the baby, I took the older girls to a nearby park. We enjoyed 20C weather, in mid October! The rest of the day was a blur, but it was certainly a nice break. I look forward to more holiday Mondays!
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| enjoying her activity mat |
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