Appreciation for Parents

Exhaustion of Mundane Activities

                Being a parent of a two-year-old has given me a greater appreciation for single parents than ever before, and I have always had an appreciation for parents who take on this role alone. I am fortunate to have my partner in this with me, and I was lucky to have two parents raising my brothers, sister, and me. I love breaks when I get to spend additional time with Addie, and I am bummed that it is already Thursday. I am, however, exhausted.

                How on earth did my mom do it with four kids? My dad was great, of course, and certainly knowing he would get home from work, we’d eat dinner as a family, and he’d help with homework and put us to bed had to help my mom through each day, but just thinking about clothing, how on earth did she do it? My mom was the one who took us shopping for clothes and washed and folded our laundry (until Becky was in 2^nd grade and my mom was tired of having to wash and rewash Beck’s clothes since she wouldn’t put them away and they got wrinkly so she’d put them back in the hamper). I remember one time when my brothers were at school, baby Becky was napping, and my mom helped me with a Cabbage Patch puzzle while listening to the Zephyrs and folding laundry.

                I think about my challenge today with trying to sort through boxes and bags of clothes from good friends and trying to predict what the weather is going to be between now and June when I will have a chance to do this again, and guess what sizes will best fit my not-average-sized two-year-old in the meantime, all while trying to keep my child entertained and safe. What a task, and there is only one of her. My mom had three kids ages two and under! And then she had another one four years later!

                I have one and I am exhausted. It’s spring break, so I don’t even have my regular exhausting routines tugging at me, though they are weighing on me as lesson plans and grading get done less efficiently than if I had my quiet planning period. Jeff will walk in soon from bowling, and look around and wonder what on earth I did all day. Maybe next time, I’ll leave the clothing sort for him.