Tuesday, January 17, 2017

A Day in the life of

Flexible-Hours Working Mother

6:15am: wake up and realize kids are still sleeping. Score! quietly get up to pump some milk for hamzah in the dark and hope no one wakes up yet.
6:30am: tiptoe into bathroom to take shower and brush teeth.
6:40am: pray subuh and pack the kids bags for tadika and nursery. boil water, start making scrambled eggs and put away dry dishes. make hot coffee.
7:00am: Hamzah is awake, give him a bath. 
7:10am: Omar wakes up. Get him to the table to have breakfast then continue putting clothes on Hamzah. 
7:15am: Check on Omar eating and while trying to get Hamzah to play on his own. 
7:35am: Try to get last spoons into Omar and negotiate him finishing a glass of water/milk/whatever. 
7:40am: Give Omar a bath and negotiate him putting school uniform on.
7:50am: Reheat coffee and finish.
7:55am: Get dressed and use bathroom if necessary, get kids and their bags to be out the door.
8:05am:After trekking down two elevators and walking across carpark and putting both kids in their carseats, drive out to work.
8:15am: Find parking, walk down to Hadanah (nursery), nurse Hamzah and get him settled while making sure Omar doesnt run away or bug any baby.
8:25am:Walk Omar to Tadika, take him to potty, negotiate him drinking some water, say goodbye.
8:35am:Back in the car otw to office/breakfast at canteen.
9:10am: Back to office and tinker on computer (emails, grant, manuscript), chase paperwork/ lab orders, phone calls, meeting, marking etc
12:00pm: Drive to Tadika, cuddle Omar take him to potty, give him water.
12:10pm: Walk to Hadanah, nurse Hamzah.
12:20pm: Drive Omar back to apartment, feed him lunch and leave him with his uncle.
1.00pm: tapau lunch or meet friend for lunch
1.40pm: Back in room to do one or some of activities above and pray zohor.
4.40pm: Drive to Hadanah to pick up Hamzah. Nurse him.
4.50pm: Drive home, park, cross carpark, up elevators.
5:00pm: check on Omar if hes eaten or had a drink or potties. pump Hamzah some milk for tomorrow. pray and relax with kiddies.
5:30pm: Get dinner started while kids either play on their own or cry wanting to be picked up.
6:20pm: Start feeding Omar and Hamzah and self dinner in turns until one or both finish food or cry until I cant take it anymore.
6:50pm:Bathe both kids in turns or simultaneously.
6:55pm: Clothe a protesting Hamzah who hates putting on a diaper or shirt, dash to sink to wash hands of drapolene while hoping he doesnt roll of bed.
7:00pm: Plop Hamzah on the floor, get Omar out of bathtub, dry him and clothe him.
7:30pm: Omar starts pooping. Nurse Hamzah to sleep. Pray Maghrib.
7.50pm: Wash Omar and change diaper.
7.55pm: Read Omar a few bedtime books.
8.15pm: Omar dozes off. Go clear dishes, wash breastmilk pumps and bottles, maybe make coffee and work on computer.
9.30pm: Hamzah wakes up crying, Nurse him back to sleep.
9.40pm: Back at computer.
10.30pm: Get bags ready for tomorrow. Pray isya. 
10.40pm: play on phone until doze off.
11.00pm: Hamzah wakes up crying, nurse him to sleep.
11.30pm: Omar wakes up crying, dodoi him to sleep. Doze off.
1.00am: Hamzah wakes up crying, nurse him to sleep. Doze off.
3.00am: Hamzah wakes up crying, nurse him to sleep. Doze off.
5.30am: same as above. Doze off.

and hey its another day again!

(FYI, this is a relatively good day.)




No comments: