Monday, March 19, 2012

Delegating

Have I mentioned before that life with two kids and two working parents is just a little bit crazy? I use crazy in the most upbeat, positive sense of the word, but there is no denying it's frenetic, chaotic connotation.

I worried when I was pregnant with Davis that there would never be enough hours in the day. And there aren't. I'd be lying if I said that most days I don't feel pulled in 97 different directions. While the kids and Matt are my priorities, it still takes a lot of planning and effort to provide the best life for them. Nutritious dinners don't just appear. The house does not clean itself. And it's difficult for me to not always feel these things running through the back of my mind. I would love to sit down and have a relaxing dinner with my family, but I often eat standing up while I load the dishwasher and clean the pots and pans so that after dinner, I can sit and engage with the kids and not worry about the dishes. Do I think this is setting a good example for Madelyn? No. I never want them to feel like they come second to my swiffer, but that's not always easy.

Until Friday, when I conceded defeat made an appointment to have the house cleaned. We haven't had our house professionally cleaned since September and that was only because we were in the hospital and totally incapable of doing it ourselves. And our new financial situation with Davis' nanny doesn't exactly leave much room for delegating these types of duties. But sometimes you just need a break. And I knew after making that appointment, as my stress level instantaneously dissipated, that it was the right thing to do.

And last night, when we sat in our freshly cleaned house and I didn't feel pulled to do anything at all except sit with my babies, it was perfectly clear to me that sometimes you just need to delegate. My kids don't care if the house is clean, but if hiring someone to do it allows me to engage with them on a deeper level, it's worth every penny.

1 comment:

Heidi @ Sweet Birdie's Nest said...

Ohhh, I definitely understand your struggle! I am also trying to figure out where to admit defeat and keeping up with the house can be so daunting sometimes. Good for you for recognizing when and how to ask for help!

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