Me Hat / Mum Hat / Love Hat in Days of My Destiny

This afternoon it dawned on me that My Person has differing ways depending on the time of day. Although parenting feels quite easy with only the one child, it never feels easy after school hours when both children are home. It's always busy. Physically busy, doing the playtime/homework/bath/bed thing. Mentally busy, trying to stay on top of everything that needs to be done, the logistics of it all (when to cook dinner, when to organize school lunch for the next day, squeezing in a bit of house cleaning so I can wake up to a house that looks semi-organized, bath-time, bedtime routine, squeezing in study and/or relaxation for myself). It dawned on me today that the person I am during the day is not efficient for the person I need to be of an afternoon. It dawned on me that, although throughout the day I can be more myself, that same self does not efficiently meet the needs of the children or the family as a whole of an afternoon. Mostly it is because the person I am throughout the day - whoever I am while I do whatever it is I do - is tired by the end of the day and sure acts like it. And thinking about needing to be a different person after school hours almost allows me to give more, to try more. Daytime means I can wear The Me Hat a lot easier, or maybe some of The Me Hat and some of The Mum Hat. But definitely, DEFINITELY post-school hours, I need to ditch The Me Hat, at least until all children are in bed and sound asleep. The Me Hat Mentality needs to disappear after school. I need to wear The Mum Hat and just BE that person and ACT that person, even if I don't feel like it. And above all, I need to make sure I wear The Love Hat every single day, no matter which other hat I may be wearing. This way of thinking may just help me survive the sibling chaos that sometimes ensues in the "after school hours" window.

The Me Hat

Artistic

Free-spirited

Not preoccupied with time

Self-sufficient

Self-serving

Self-appointing

The Mum Hat

Organized

Serving others

Teacher of life lessons

Cuddle expert

Striving to empathize

Striving to be understanding

The Love Hat

Not judgmental

Always caring

Always empathizing

Always room for cuddles