Monday 3 March 2014

Is it Wrong to Hire a Nanny for Me Time?

At the last count I have had 3 hours sleep, but not all in one go, this was segemented over the past 12 hours over night. I'm in desperate need of a haircut, eyebrow shape, hair dying, facial and a meal I can eat that is not one handed and is still hot by the time I come to eat it. Let's not even start on my relationship with my husband, if he's lucky he gets five minutes before I hand over Beth and collaspe into bed before starting the whole thing again.

A study by tvbed.com polled 2,000 mums found that 51% of mothers can go weeks without any time to themselve to relax. Those who do get the time averages out at 17 minutes, and what do they do with this time? A majority plan for the next day. Funnily enough 78% of mothers still do the housework with 7 out of 10 women saying that men get more 'me' time and 1 out of 5 resent this.

It was this article in the Daily Mail entitled, "I'm a stay-at-home mother but childcare is SO boring I've hired a nanny" that got me thinking. It is a huge step to admit that after bringing your children into the world that you no longer want to look after them 24/7, and start focusing on you and your career.

In true Daily Mail style it is written in a way that can only cause a negitive reaction from other mothers, but here is the question: Isn't the best Mum is a happy Mum? If you have the money available to do it, well wouldn't you?

I asked my husband, if we had the money could I hire a nanny just for the purpose of getting some time off and rest? He was shocked, didn't I love our daughter? Of course I do, and I love spending time with her (even when she's screaming for her bottle) but look at me with my tired eyes and still in my PJ's at 6pm, I really do not look like Mum of the year.

I am lucky, we've worked out a system that means there is always one of us availble for Beth if and when she needs us. I know there are many more mothers who have even less.Yes being a mum is repeative and tiring with no days off and very little 'me' time but when Beth smiles and coos when she sees me I would not miss a second of it.

1 comment:

  1. I read that article a couple of weeks ago, I don't understand why it's ok for women to go back work because they don't want to be a full time mum, but not have some time to themselves? Totally agree that a happy mum = a happy baby

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