A quote from what is arguably one of the best shows about parenting, The Letdown.
You know when you have a stressful or tiring day at work - you know right? YOU KNOW. Days where it's just difficult, draining or demoralising and you just want to come home and eat BBQ Shapes whilst sobbing over an emotional proposal video on You Tube.
BC (before child) I would just flop home, potter around, cook dinner, be alone if I needed to. My husband often got home after I did, so I had some time to myself, or I could go to the gym on the way home to burn off some pent up frustration. Or you know, eat BBQ Shapes.
And to be honest, there's still much time to do this stuff - after the pick up time, dinner time, bath time, story time - after bed time is finally negotiated (now that I have finally finished uni). But the gap between work and bed time is so tough sometimes - and especially when you've had a long day.
And it's on these days that - like a ninja - your child just seems to know (or picks up on some slight agitation in you, sure) and seems to respond accordingly - tears, tantrums, obstinance, and you just feel very... well, grumpy and like MUMMY JUST NEEDS YOU TO PUT ON YOUR PJs.
I don't want to be a cranky Mum. I try really hard to not 'bring work home' so that I can be a present parent and partner. And I would say, on the whole, when your job makes you feel gritty and tired and on edge ALL THE TIME, it's probably a sign that something is amiss.
But there are some days when I just feel really grumpy and find myself trying hard not to snap at Audrey.
How do people cope with this? Deep breaths? Trying to put a buffer between work and home? My little one is far too young to understand the concept of 'work' so I can't really explain that I've had a rough day.
Any tips in this area would be amazing x
