Mommy's new role

It's been more than 8 months since I said bye to the busy corporate world. Thanks to Dearie's support, I am now taking on my dream job as a full-time homemaker. It's a whole new ball game altogether. Each day, each moment, there are new things to learn. More recently, the greater privilege is to learn about my girls, learn with my girls, and learn FROM them too. I truly am enjoying the unhurried times with them.

Contrast with before, my messages to them had always been... '快点 this, 快点 that, or Mama's going to be late!'. Even in their play-pretend, their dialogues would be 'wait, I am busy, I can't help you now...' or 'hurry up, I need to go to work!' or 'Shhh... I need to talk on the phone now, keep quiet!'. I am just glad to be able to reverse all these. Of course, they are still modelling me. This time, they would ask for a cleaning cloth and say 'Mama, I also want to clean my own kitchen. Can you give me a wet cloth please?' or... "Look Mama, I am also cooking. You try my food later ok?"... (Yes, I am also training them to be independent to do things for themselves)

So, what have I learnt through these months? Contrary to popular belief, tai-tais (as some will call) like me do not get to sleep, rest, shop, play, nuah all we want. While it's true we may not face the time pressure of a job, time is still not a luxury item. Of course, if one has a maid and the general chores are totally outsourced, that would be a different matter. In fact, my new role has a set of newly defined 5Cs - childcare, chores, chauffeuring, cooking, and computer-work.

Lessons learnt:
- better to always work with a plan, which includes weekly dinner menu, time schedule to encourage kids to be punctual, family budget to stick to, clearly spelt-out shopping/to-do lists and more. I also browsed some SAHM websites for ideas how they manage to hold everything together, without going bonkers.
- there are lots of kids' learning activities/resources on the web. Needs to take some time to research though. Turns out that I am enjoying the design/planning process very much. Thanks to my previous role as a Learning & Development Manager, I am pretty well-trained in running these activities with them.
- cooking is very fun and therapeutic. Despite lots to wash up (both before, and after), nothing beats presenting a new dish that is welcomed by everyone, and gets walloped in no time! With my supportive audience (Dearie, of course!), I am getting a hang in cooking, and occasionally tweaking the recipes.
- housework 是永远做不完的! Better is a home with happy children who are free to explore their creativity (and create some mess); than a display home where everything is to see, and not touch. 我学会看开了...
- the girls just love me to play with them more. That means, I mustn't forget to play with them! It can be a simple hide-and-seek in the house, anyhow-play-the-piano-and-dance, water-colour painting, tea parties, doll house, or even scissors-paper-stone. For some reasons, they just love the rougher stuffs with daddy. E.g. pillow fights, wrestling, piggyback and kungfu!
- couple dates are precious! Glad to find a new hobby with Dearie. Yes, we are aiming to keep fit together. We have a long distance to cover.
- friends are very, very important. They bring new cheer, jokes, inspirations, and wonderful hours of fellowship that remind us that we are all relational creatures, and how our lives are better enriched because of one another!
- it's not easy to work on top of all the family demands. However, God is the One who provides! Even with this opportunity as a freelance headhunter, it's a chance for me to keep my trade and remained plugged in (though not as immersed like before). Not to mention, I am also trusting in His leads and blessings to supplement the income.
- most of all, God is such a wonderful companion and Teacher in this whole new chapter. He will frequently tap me gently to remind me why I am doing what I am doing. And that's all I need to dispel the occasion doubts and insecurities that creep up on me. "Say the word, and I will sing for you... Over oceans deep, I will follow..."

In a nutshell, mommy is embracing her new role with thanksgivings!