Finding balance

To be honest – I don’t think you ever get to a point where you feel like you have attained a good balance as a Mum. 

Balance is something you keep working on, that way, you keep re-evaluating your priorities. Most days are not the same, and when you think you have gotten it all together, something’s comes up and throw you off guard.  It could be a sick child, unexpected travel, a house help who suddenly leaves and the like.

However over time, there are a few things that have helped me stay sane and I would like to share them. I am sure you have yours too.

• Wake up early- don’t allow yourself to rush through  the morning , waking up in panic and having a horrible morning always paves way for a rushed unsettled day. You would rather have extra time to relax before your day begins other than works yourself tired early in the morning.
• If you can pack kids stuff the night before, very good! Check their bags; be sure their shoes are ready, socks, water in their bottles. Even on Saturday night, I like to have Sunday clothes ready. I don’t like to wake up in the morning to think of what the kids will wear that day.
• Simplify your life- I have always ensured that the menu for Sunday evening is Ugali and Maziwa Lala/mala so that in case the house help is late to come back or we are all late, we can easily cook the Ugali and drown it with mala and within no time - everyone is in bed.
• Have a food menu- this way, you don’t have to think every evening what you will eat tomorrow, secondly it helps you to plan and purchase what is needed in good time. However, keep changing the menu once in a while; otherwise, it can get boring!
• Empower your house help – she must be able to make decisions without always having to consult you. For example, if there is no rice, she needs not to call and ask, “the menu says rice, and there is none, what do I do?”…she can easily inter change the days and cook what is available then and explain that to you later ….
• Try as much as you can to stay on the loop on how things are in your house- don’t always be caught by surprise. There is sugar, no salt, no Royco, no milk…
• Try to think through what you are likely to wear tomorrow, nothing wastes time like putting clothes’ on and off, while you still have a thousand other things to do in the morning.
• This many sound funny but as a mother with three kids under 5- I have for a while avoided hairstyles that will take my time in the morning. Well, I finally locked my hair and that is one headache gone.
• When you get to work-try not to waste time. Just work. So that you can beat your deadlines like everyone else and still leave on time to go home and be with your family. If you can work from home, work when the kids are asleep. However when you get home, just be home and have fun with the kids.
• This may sound rude, but establish limits with your phone. I hardly pick calls between 6:00pm – 8:30pm – Why? Coz I need to just be with my family, especially with the kids who will need to be in bed by 8:30pm. However, I also realized it is so hard to give someone full attention while I have kids running up and down. Within no time, most of my friends have come to appreciate this and will always call between 8:30pm-9pm, including my own Dad and Mum.

And the list can be long but remember, don't be legalistic- Legalism is a joy-sucker!. If things don't work sometimes, its okay!