When the daddy is away..

Last week, my husband was traveling and I was home alone with my 15 months old daughter. I was hands-full with my kid, work deadlines and all the routine work. Then, I thought to pen down certain rules which I religiously follow while Mr. Husband is away for work. Here are a few tips for all of you who might have to face a similar situation some time.

• Make sure you follow a routine for yourself and your kid even in the absence of your husband.
• Try to complete most of the house chores early morning as this is the most productive time of the day. This includes cooking for all main meals and pre-preparation for the next day.
• Do not skip your work-out sessions. It will help to keep you calm and full of energy through out the day. You will probably have to do the work-out at home instead of gym as you can’t leave the kid alone.
• Arrange all grocery items ahead of time. In case you forget something, you can order it later from online/nearest grocery store.
• Do the meal-planning for the week before-hand. Try to include the recipes which require less time and effort. The veggies can be cut on the previous day or you can buy already cut veggies. Try including fruits as mid-meal snacks for yourself and kids. This saves your time in the kitchen.
• Plan to meet your old friends and try to arrange play-dates if they also have kids. It’s a win-win situation for the mothers and the children both.
• Take your kids to nearby park. You will get to spend some good time with your kids. They also get to experience the natural sceneries.
• Enroll yourself to a mother-toddler program to keep the kid involved in different constructive activities.
• Try baby-wearing. It is a blessing during such difficult times. It will help you carry out your routine work while the kiddo is clinging close to you. You can carry your child wherever you head to – parks, malls, grocery stores etc.
• If you are a working mother, you might have to leave the child at a day care. But, if you are a WFH mom like I am, plan your work a day ahead. While your kid is asleep, you may try to complete those tasks which need more concentration. The easier ones can be finished off even when the child is awake.
• In the absence of one parent, sometimes, the child becomes cranky and clingy. You need to handle such emotions with lots of patience. Shower your kid with loads of hugs, kisses and cuddles. This helps the child to cope up with the absence of the other parent. Since, the technology has become so advanced, make sure the child gets to see and talk to the other parent once or twice a day.
• Last but not the least, this is the best time to spend some quality time with your kid and also yourself. Pamper yourself whenever you are free and cuddle your child whenever he/she reaches out to you.

Next week I won’t be in town as I have to attend a wedding. I have to do a quick turn around, so won’t be traveling with my kid. Hence, I have shared this list with my husband. I am sure this to-do list will ease his turn to take care of our daughter while the mommy is away.

Husband’s hug

The door bell rang. My daughter Ana’s eyes gleamed with joy and I heaved a sigh of relief. We together opened the door and my tired husband gave us a million-dollar smile. He entered the home, ran an eye over the rumpled house and threw his laptop bag on the sofa. Got into his pyjamas and came for dinner. I was ready with the dinner table and Ana was done with her dinner already. Both of us had our meal while Ana was busy with her scattered toys. I narrated him about all of Ana’s activities through out the day while he was cribbing over his bosses and colleagues. After the dinner got over, we concluded the day and went into the bedroom. This was when he opened his arms to us. Ana and I both quickly wrapped ourselves into his warm and cozy hug. His cuddles made Ana fall asleep quickly in his lap. And, all my emotions, which had been rushing up and down through out the day with my toddler, settled down within a few minutes. Suddenly, the phone rang and I was out of my day-dreams. This is our everyday routine in the evening and I was recollecting the previous day’s memories while reading a FB post. Just realised how important is a hug from dear ones. It is my husband’s love and affection which maintains my sanity in the otherwise crazy days of my life. I wish that every wife gets a warm and compassionate bear hug from her husband each day to free herself from all the stresses of the world.

Happy hugging !!