Leaving the house with children

If you see a mum with young children looking put together, know that she's probably had a very stressful morning.

Hi, my name is Mavela, a mother of three children: 2 boys (9 and 6) and one girl (2 years).

Often times, when I'm getting ready, a small voice often whispers to me, just abort the preparation process and stay at home. But what would life consist of? Just staying at home with the children all of the time, no exposure to new adventures, no socialising with other people!

While getting ready, I sometimes think how much quicker it was getting ready to go out on my own: 30 mins to an hour. Now, with 3 children, it can take up to 4 hours (that often includes housework and preparation for each child). But it also includes tasks that I didn't have to do before like:

1. Look for an iron clothes for three children

2. Bathe and dress them (the toddler)

3. Combing their hair - particularly the girl's hair - which can take up to an hour

4. Making and serving them breakfast

5. Making snacks and packing their bags (i.e. with essentials for the toddler and snacks)

6. Ensuring that they are entertained or engaged while I am preparing everything.

Then when it comes to myself, although I often feel like I want to leave the house as I am when I wake up, I need to:

1. Have a bath

2. Do my hair

3. Sometimes do my make-up

4. Look for and iron my clothes

5. Get dressed

All of this often happens with lots of interjections and contentions from the children, either them asking for food, talking to me, making a lot of noise or fighting.

Often times, before I leave, I'm already exhausted.

But the silver lining is, after that is done, I'm happy that I pushed through, took some time to make myself and my children look our best. Because when we look our best, we feel our best and we are ready to face and enjoy the world!

Are you a new mum or a mum who has added to her household? What are some changes that you have experienced?

What are some positives that you can take away from these changes?

Comment down below!

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