Are We All Worn Out?
Today I decided to do my writing while sitting outside a local coffee shop at one of their patio tables. It was a nice change of pace, and it’s a treat I only usually get to enjoy while the kids are at preschool like they are today. The weather is beautiful, I have a coffee by my side, and I’m feeling like I could tackle any deadline.
I noticed something while I was sitting there writing. From the vantage point I had I was able to see every car that went through the coffee shop’s drive-thru. It wasn’t long before I noticed that every single car that went through while I was sitting there was some kind of family car: lots of SUVs and minivans. I then started paying attention to who was doing the driving, and it was then that I realized every single driver who came through was a woman, and all of them had car seats in the cars. Some of the moms had kiddos in the car with them, and some of them didn’t.
The other thing that all of them had in common was that they looked absolutely exhausted. Judging by the time of day – around 9:30 AM – these were all women who had finished up the hectic morning duties of getting kids fed and ready and had either dropped off their kids at school or were getting ready for whatever activities they had planned out for the day. Their stop at the coffee shop was a calculated attempt at getting a little energy from a caffeinated drink and maybe placating the kids with a juice or cookie.
It dawned on me that I am one of those women! When the kids are I set off for the zoo or library or whatever we go do, it usually starts with a stop at a coffee shop to fuel up mom. Am I running on caffeine instead of relying on the natural energy my body should be granting me from the food I eat and the sleep I get?
I think this topic needs some examination. All us stay-at-home and work-at-home parents need to take a look at how we get through the day, and what we’re teaching our kids about habits. Yes, I’m worn out, but I wonder if I need to lay off relying on a chemical to give me a little pep so my kids don’t think that’s the natural thing to do. What do you think?
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