Yes I’m tired. Very tired. I’m always tired.
Before I became a parent my alarm would wake me up at 8:00am. Back then I thought that was early! Now I get woken up by my child poking me in the face at around 6:30am every day. I used to be able to get up, go downstairs, make myself a nice breakfast and enjoy a hot cup of coffee all before starting my day. Now I roll out of bed, eyes still half shut, make my way downstairs, make breakfast for Kory, tidy the house, then get us both washed, dressed and ready for the day. Some days I have time to straighten my hair and put on make up, other days I don’t even have time to put a brush through my hair and no time for make up. Some days I wear a nice outfit and feel good, other days I chuck on the first thing I can find and look like a zombie. This is all before I’ve even managed to have a bite to eat myself. And finally, after all that, I can sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee – if I’m lucky!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining!
Being a mum has made me very tired but very happy. It’s just sometimes being a mum simply means being tired and I don’t think anyone other than a parent realises that. To some it might just be whats expected. Mums, especially stay at home mums like myself, tend to get a bad rep for saying that they are tired. No-one other than ourselves knows how much we actually do. No-one would know that I hardly slept last night except if I told them so. No-one would know that I go round and round the house picking toys up, putting them away just to do the same thing over and over again. And I do all of this and so much more on repeat from the minute my eyes open until the second my child finally gives in and goes to sleep at bedtime. Even then after I’ve put Kory to bed there’s still another one million and one other things to be done around the house.
Spending all day focusing on another person is very tiring. It’s a privilege to me that I’m able to stay at home with Kory and raise him but it does make me tired. So the next time someone asks me ‘why do you seem so tired when you’re just at home all day?’ Or when someone rolls their eyes at me when I tell them I’m tired. I’ll tell them that I’m tired because as well as running a household, I kept my child safe today, I kept my child fed, watered, washed and dressed. I kept my child entertained, I played with them and educated them pretty much all day which when you have a child not listening to you, or who is cranky or sometimes acting out, it’s not as easy as it sounds. I suppose I could just plonk Kory in front of the tv or on the iPad, that would make life so much easier but I didn’t. That’s never been my style.
So that’s why I feel like I could use a nap, because every damned day I try my damned hardest to be the best mum that I can be and it’s damn well hard.
So yes I’m tired. I’m not saying that I would change a single thing about this crazy life because I honestly wouldn’t. All I ask is that when a mum tells you that she’s tired, try and be a bit more understanding. She might not have it as easy as you may think!
Life as The Lonsdales 