Many times over many years it has been debated who has it easier – the parent on maternity leave (pyjama days, coffee with friends, free time when the baby sleeps) or the parent who goes to the office (adult conversation, cup of hot tea, eating biscuits without your head in the cupboard). What I have decided is that I have decidedly the worst of both worlds: working from the home whilst looking after children. Admittedly, I have the best of both worlds too (an income, a sense of purpose, spending time with the children whilst they sleep, not having to do sodding annual appraisals), but on days like today it seems hard work.
TheBloke (TM) and I are buy-to-let landlords. We own four properties about an hour’s drive from where we live, and we manage them ourselves, rather than going through an agent. This causes a lot more work than you might imagine. I just wrote a big long paragraph about what I actually did today, and deleted it because it was so bastarding boring.
EldestGirl was at nursery today, and bless her, YoungestGirl has been sufficiently ignored that she mostly seems quite happy pootling around the floor by herself with her toys, occasionally demanding to be fed. Her older sister would not do this, and would instead squawk loudly until I sat on the floor and sang “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” until I wished we all drowned. I do worry that YoungestGirl won’t actually learn to talk, or if she does, her first words are going to be, “For fuck’s sake, how difficult can it be to find a decent plumber?”
So today was hard. But it is swings and roundabouts. Yesterday was lovely. My friend Nice Kate visited, spoiled the children with ridiculous gifts which are way better than anything we would normally get them for their birthdays, and they both now want to go and live with her. Well, YoungestGirl can’t talk yet, but her eyes said as much.
So it’s rough and smooth. Tomorrow I have both children all day by myself. I might put them out to work for me. EldestGirl can manage the tenants. YoungestGirl can manage the contractors. I will be drinking luke-warm tea, eating biscuits with my head in the cupboard.
I’m not sure that either model is winning, it’s tough because we push ourselves and aim to do everything to a near-perfect standard.
I think I am increasingly half-arsed. The kids are currently watching TV and I’m procrastinating. However, I do procrastinate to a near-perfect standard.
L x