“What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?”
– Bill Murray, Groundhog Day
HEY! This sounds familiar! In fact, it sounds a lot like PARENTHOOD!!!
Honestly though, I know what I do matters. I know that eventually the monotony of life with a toddler will pay off, he will become a contributing member of society, won’t become a serial killer, won’t spend too much time in therapy because of me… I KNOW all of this.
But sometimes it gets to me.
The grind.
Everyday, exactly the same.
Gym/Playcare. Errands. Lunch. Nap (for him not me… usually). Outside Time (if it’s not raining). Dinner. Bath. Bedtime.
There are a few variables to the day, maybe replacing the gym with a morning of Gaga dance parties in our jammies, or a trip to the airplane park. I know I should be savoring every moment but some days, hell, MOST days, I haven’t got a clue what day of the week it is. The husband doesn’t work a set schedule either, so he’s no help.
How do I break the rut and enjoy each day as it’s happening? How do I “cherish each precious moment” of life with a toddler? Because when he throws a plate on the ground for the 50th time, or tells me to go sit in timeout (?!?!) I get tired and frustrated by the the sameness of it all.
The days do run together most of the time… But everyone once in a while, as we are dancing to Gaga, or cooking dinner together, I look up and realize just how big he really is. And how there may be another one soon and how I’ll miss these times when it was just the two of us. And even though I get tired of the grind, our life is pretty damn fun and interesting. And that sometimes?
The grind is just part of being a parent. And that’s ok.
What do you guys do to mix it up and avoid getting in a rut?
