Time whizzes past us so quickly. Too quickly.
It seemed just like yesterday when the Little One was still busy exercising in his 24 hours personal gym, practising his kungfu kicks. All of a sudden, he is TWO months old. And that means i have to drag myself back into the pressure-cooker, away from the Little One. I'll miss being there to greet the 2 younger angels when the school van sends them home every lunchtime.
Ying Chun and Swee Rong have grown accustomed to having their mummy home everyday when they return from school. Swee Rong is finding it difficult to accept that mummy has to go back to work. I prepared her more than a week in advance. The first couple of times i told her, she would not listen and would go running to her room and hide in a corner. And cry. That made it even harder for me to digest the thought of leaving the kids every morning. Sigh...
Fast forward to my first week back at work.....As expected, it was both emotionally and physically tough to be back at work. On days when the Little One had woken up by the time i was ready to leave for work, it was just heart-wrenching. I would smother him with kisses and take a couple of deep breaths of the well-reknown intoxicating Baby Smell before slowly making my way towards the main door, only to make a U-turn two steps before reaching the main door. I would zoom back for another kiss and another sniff. After a couple more U-turns, and not before shedding a few tears, my heavy legs would reluctantly walk towards my car and my even heavier arms would then open the car-door to allow my very heavy rear-end to find its way onto the driver's seat.
My boss joked that i "must be glad to be back at the office to take a break"!
It's challenging either way.
In my mind, being a full-time stay-at-home Mum is a really tough job. Tougher than a 9 to 5 office job. It comes with all its challenges, big and small. You don't get a day off; nor do you get sick leave. Needless to say, it is not rewarding financially.
The rewards however are multiple and priceless.
1. Being able to take the kids to and from school is a special time to be treasured.
With my ten year old, it's a time for us to bond...to chit-chat...just the two of us.
2. The endless hugs & kisses compensates for the various challenges that a 4 year old and a 6 year old is capable of throwing at a mother-of-four.
3. It is the ultimate test on patience. Trust me on this. My neighbours who have heard me shout and scream will surely vouch for this.
4. Witnessing baby's first smile, first coo and before we know it, his first steps...
being there to accompany a 6 year old with her first test revisions and be on-hand to receive her first test results...
At the end-of the day, it is the job satisfaction that matters most.
I look forward with great anticipation to the day that my full-time employers are my 4 children.
I know it will be my toughest job, as my performance appraisal will be conducted by my children, their exam results, their well-being, Mr T, my children's grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, neighbours, etc., etc.
Till the day comes when i become the full-time Domestic Affairs Directors, i shall drag myself to the Pressure-Cooker comes every weekday.
~ Written from the Heart
by a mother-of-four who is constantly negotiating with the father-of-four to offer her full-time PAID employment, complete with bonuses and annual increment.
