Mommy!!

I read this last week. During the pandemic, working mothers have reduced their hours spent working four to five times more than fathers, according to a new study. The trend is a troubling one for women’s career prospects after the crisis. New York Times. And then I read stats from multiple media outlets about the same issue.

This is not an easy one. It isn’t fair that the person in the house bearing the most of the brunt is the Mom. Not shocking by any means but disheartening. On one hand, nurturing children creates different relationships with each parent. Sometimes kids are just drawn more to one and not the other. Women need to work on Dad’s to take part in a meaningful way so Mom can work.

The school thing is overwhelming. Every kid needs someone peaking over their shoulder when they are in 3rd grade to make sure they are even paying attention. How much time can they actually sit in front of a screen and learn? It all sucks.

Perhaps we need to teach our kids to be more independent early on. Instill in them that it is their life, their responsibility, not mine. Less guidance and more engagement.

It is far from the same thing because I was never locked in an apartment with 3 kids trying to distance learn but I remember when Josh was in 4th grade. I decided he should book his own playdates, just tell me who and when. At the beginning it wasn’t great because Mom’s would call me and say Josh just booked a playdate with me for their kid, is that ok? It wasn’t easy at first but eventually, all the kids were doing it. After all, they were old enough to pick their own friends and when they want to see them.

It is that independence that made my life easier. Happy Mommy, happy kids.