I am a work at home, business owning wife and mother of 3. Nothing chaotic like 3 under 3… I have a teenager, a 5 year old and an infant. I am the duty master. I am the czar of jobs. The empress of tasks. I am the mom.
Everyone in the house has their daily and weekly duties. We have our “family jobs” that we’ve each been designated. Typical, right? I’m sure it is. I’m sure my entire thought process today is just like a million other families, but to me, its a unique situation in my life and I’m trying to figure out how I let it get to where it is.
Now here is where my train of thought fits in today…
The cleaning ladies are coming. YAY! It is a proven fact that I am a pack rat and a slob about daily nit picking and dusting and all. I’m an anal organizer, but I’m also a habitual pile maker. If you actually read above, you know that my family is probably an unlikely source for the deep cleaning types of duties. So yes, every two weeks my favorite ladies arrive with their mops and dust clothes and they tackle my corners that would otherwise be neglected for most of the year.
With this routine, I run around the house the morning of cleaning day, picking up odds and ends, hopefully just gathering things that have been left out throughout the week so the cleaning can begin. Today I realized, I am no the job manager, I am the job doer with helpers that ponder helping… when reminded. I am doing all the jobs. The jobs are getting partially done. However, it’s only 8:30am and I have… taken out the trash, swept the floor, picked up toys in 4 rooms, cleaned 2 bathrooms 1/2 way, laundry, kitchen counters, dishes, homework space pick up… and the list goes on. I’ve only been awake and dressed for just over an hour. None of those jobs are mine – ok, washing the clothes is. No no, as a mom, they’re always mine, I mean, had everyone done their their jobs as they should, I would have been writing a completely differently blog… 45 minutes ago.
How and when did it get this way? When did half a job become ok and when did I sign that agreement? Am i just a bad example? My kids don’t sit around doodling or managing their websites either… so what happened?
I like being in charge, I like making the decisions (sometimes) and formulating plans, guiding and coordinating. This is out of control. No wonder people ask how I get so much done in a day – I don’t know either.
So the now plan of action… resign or go on strike? I’ve done the strike thing before. I promised to not cook meals if the kitchen weren’t cleaned after meals. That worked, but then I got hungry.
I’ve boycotted bathroom cleaning – did you know boys pee on the floor? That didn’t work, they still pee on the floor. I’ve threatened to just do all the jobs as a guilt trip tactic – everyone says “no, don’t do that” but then the excitement for the argument ends and what am I stuck with? That’s a dumb move.
I have no answer, but I’m pretty sure something will change… Good thing it’s just me and my biz — can you imagine the doodles that would result? Wow!
