Does being at home for one year while you taking care of your newborn, make it OK for you to become the household maid?
Sometimes as women we believe that just because we are home, we have to make sure that everything is in tiptop shape at all times. The only issue with that is we drive ourselves to exhaustion and don’t realize that we’re not made to be someone’s personal maid.
Being home on a day-to-day does make it easier for you to keep up with your household chores and allows you can make more elaborate dinners, plan meals and have more of a structure to ease your nights and weekends, but that doesn’t mean that you yourself don’t need a days rest, and or a night off.
Personally, I am someone who has a bit of OCD and I would love my house to be clean at all times although after having two kids, I do have to live with the fact that my house will never be clean the way I want it to be or the way it used to be. So after coming to the realization that this is my new reality I know clean as best as I can to make the mess look tidy.
Don’t forget that even though you are are home you have a little one to take care of and they are your priority.
Being home basically for one year, you are able to do all of these things and keep up but do remember that when you do go back to work that some of these things cannot just be your job. You will need help. Speaking to your partner about it and splitting up the tasks can help you not feel so stressed out on a daily.
I know when I was on matt leave for the first time I stressed before going back to work and went on a little rampage preparing pre-made meals and cleaning just to make sure that everything was ready when I went back. But no matter how much you prep, there is still a new routine to get used to.
So, no matter how much you prep, no matter how much you plan, sometimes the work just gets overwhelming. Ever since then in my household we have established a schedule and has been working so far. Now, since I am home, I do do the majority of the cooking and cleaning and laundry But my husband does cleaning up of the table after dinner bath time with the kids and basically helps me with the nighttime routine. and it’s been working pretty well. Eventually, when my second matt leave will be over we will change and re-jig the schedule.
All to say, it is not OK to just be the maid because you have a year off, but it is OK to take on a little bit of more tasks if you have the energy and are feeling good about it. Although If it is your first kid, it will probably take you a few months just to get back into the swing of things but don’t worry take all the time you need, the laundry and cleaning can wait.
Always remind yourself that you are doing your best and you do what you can and if things get overwhelming talk to your partner and come up with a schedule that works for both you and your partner.
