Parenting with 1 child was so much less taxing on the soul. After giving birth, the second child gave me a set of problems that I didn’t foresee. So, I tried to survive in 24 hours, especially on a weekend, with 2 kids.
The first thing is to wake up when they wake up. I don’t care. It’s the weekend and I need sleep.
Time check: 7am
Use the toilet. Somehow, pass the crawling baby to the snoring happily away still in bed husband. I need to use the toilet now and I don’t care if the baby wakes him up or not.
Bathe the baby. That way, I can eat breakfast after I’ve changed the diapers.
Leave the 1st born alone after letting her drink her milk. She’ll take her own sweet time finishing it anyway and I don’t have to worry about her. It’s the baby who is more active.
Bathe myself after passing the baby back to the sleeping husband. Again. Don’t care if he is awake or not. I am hungry and I want my breakfast.
Time check: 9.30am
Put the slow cooker to use by cooking the baby’s porridge.
Eat breakfast. Share breakfast with the baby who just likes to share food.
Cajole the 1st born to bathe. Bribe. Scold. Scream. Punish by taking away the toy or iPad. Give up.
Chat with the husband who had the privilege to use the toilet, drink his coffee without disturbance.
Time check: 10.30am
Make plans to bring the kids out. The idea is to have lunch without me having to cook anything at all.
Put the baby to nap.
Cajole the 1st born to bathe. Bribe by saying that we’ll visit her favourite shops; namely, Lego, Kiddy Palace and Popular. Bathe the 1st born.
Time check: 11.30am
Feed the baby the cooked porridge.
Prepare water bottles, extra clothes and diapers.
Top up tissue paper and wet wipes.
Check that the backpack has the wipes, tissue and water bottles.
Change my clothes.
Time check: 1.30pm
Plot the lunch venue.
Bring the kids out.
Reach the destination.
Time check: 2.30pm
Have lunch/tea break after ensuring that the kid will actually eat something.
Visit the shops.
Attempting to visit the shops that the adults are more interested in. Partial success since the visits lasted for 30 minutes.
Time check: 5pm
Debating whether to have dinner. No.
Walk around a little more and go home since everyone is tired from the trip.
Time check: 7pm
Go home.
Change the diapers, clothes, wash the face. Trying to get the kids to sleep.
Time check: 10pm
Finally, the kids are sleeping! I can do my stuff!
Sleep.
