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More than once I've wondered whether my children would be better off in daycare. I've pondered this while filling the dishwasher and folding the laundry. I've thought about it while checking my e-mail, doing my telephone banking and while out for a run. Each time I place a priority ahead of my children, I wonder if they would be better served by constant, focused care.
Why does so much about motherhood revolve around guilt? Must we always feel as though we are sacrificing something when we pursue the desire to be both a good mother and a unique woman? Why does successful execution of one role seem to usurp the ability to excel in the others? Is there a way for an at-home mother to be all the roles that she wants, and needs, to be? Of course there is! She simply doubles up her roles. The art of "double-roling" is in finding those tasks that can be completed at the same time. We can't add more hours to the day, so the best that we can hope to do is make the most efficient use of the time we have. Fitting in Fitness: Spending hours a day at the gym may not seem like a viable use of time and money. But we should never feel guilty for wanting to keep our bodies strong and focused. Being strong will make us better parents. So how do we overcome the obstacle of little bodies underfoot? For some easy family exercise ideas, read my article “Jump Into Fitness”, and learn how to work the activities that interest you into a family occasion. It isn't as difficult as it might seem to work exercise into the schedule. When I took up running, I began by running alone in the evenings while my husband spent some quality time with the kids. Sometimes, when they feel like coming along, we toss the toddlers into their wagon and hubby throws on his rollerblades and pulls them along while I run. In doing this I take care of my "Mommy", "Wife" and "Me" roles, all at the same time. Cleaning: Children, particularly small children, are delighted to "unclean" the house. It can be very frustrating to have them undo all your hard work. Since they are so interested in participating, why not set them to work? Hand over a dust cloth and invite them to partake in the clean-up. My children like the vacuum cleaner, the water in the sink and the washcloth. Given a job, whether it be putting their toys into the toybox or wiping off the counters, they're kept busy for several minutes at a time! Sure, it's slow and inefficient, but it allows me to keep an eye on them while concentrating on getting the chores done. They, in turn, think that they are playing with Mommy, and are actually learning the basic skills that help them to build character later on down the road.
The copyright of the article "Double-Roling" in Mother's Health is owned by S.G.Birch. Permission to republish "Double-Roling" in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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