Maria Rushe reminds mums that there is no 'Quarin-spector' coming to check on how productive and creative you are during this difficult time.
Tinterweb is currently full of Instahuns and Twitsickles telling us all that we must use ALL of this time to do ALL of the things that we have ALWAYS wanted to do; you know, all the THINGS?
Like learning a new language…
Reading all of those books on your dresser…
Organising your Make up room…
Learning how to play an instrument…
Cooking PROPERLY at last…
Starting a new hobby…
Rearranging and/or cleaning the whole house…
Writing that novel you’ve been working on… (cough…)
Doing an online course…
Baking fresh bread every day…
Setting up that Home Business that will allow you to BE YOUR BEST YOU!
My favourite was a dude on Twittersville telling us that if we DON’T learn a new skill, create a new business or gain ourselves “more knowledge” then “you didn’t ever lack the time, you lacked the discipline.”
And to that particular Jeremy, I invite you all to join me in raising a finger or two and extending a big quarantini style Feck-away-off in his direction.
We don’t lack discipline Ladybelles… If anything, our disciplines have never been more challenged!
We just have kids and relationships and houses and a never emptying washbasket and a whole load of other crap that we’re still trying to do, all at once, every day.
We may have jobs that are more difficult to do with kids on your knee.
We may have family members about whom we are worried sick.
We may have stresses thrust upon us that we are trying to deal with and funnily enough, starting to knit isn’t going to help.
Also, I don’t have a make up room, (is that even a thing?)…
I don’t want to learn a new language.
I have no interest in learning new skills or doing a course in ANYTHING right now, (unless someone can teach me how to convince a 4 year old that NO YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY AGAIN, THAT, I would sign up to.…)
And I don’t know about you, but right now, trying to get from one end of the long but short day and keep my ever frazzled shit between the ditches while dealing with the whole big bag of NEW NORMAL that this Covid bitch has fired at us, is kind of taking up all of that EXTRA time I apparently should have.
And, you know, KIDS?
Now if you HAVE been able to use this unexpected “time” to your benefit, Good for you.
And bravo if you have done or are doing any of these things!
Fair play to you and I hope you’re enjoying your new hobby or skill or whatever you have decided to do.
But if you’re like me, and still longing to have a trip to the bathroom on your own, or quite literally RUNNING out the gate to get 30 minutes to yourself in the day, hats off to you Lovely.
You too are a legend.
Now pour yourself a glass or a cuppa and cheers on this SunMondursday!
Let us lack our discipline together.
Get through your days as you see fit and remember, you do you.
There’s no Quarin-spector coming to check on how “productive” or “creative” you’re being. And there’s no Blue Peter Badge coming in the post.