You must have heard the story of the man, his son and a donkey: if not, today is your day; I will tell you all about it.
The folktale goes something like this.
One day a man and his son and their donkey were going to the market. As they walked along they met a group of people who laughed at them and asked why they were not making use of the donkey. So the man put his son on the donkey.
CAVEAT: Get ready to be rattled
A friend of mine recently asked a very thought provoking question on face book; maybe I should say it was in line with my perception of money. She asked:
“This thing about side hustles, is it about needs or just materialism and wanting to acquire more and more. I believe God has designed us to enjoy what he has given us, most of us stress out trying to earn more and we miss to enjoy what we already have. . .” Janet Isaya
I count myself very lucky to live in a part of the world where domestic help is somewhat affordable and relatively easy to come by. I say relatively easy to come by because I took advantage of ‘the house help transfer window’ – the period after the Christmas and New Year festivities and holiday season when most house helps decide not to return to their work stations from the village – to get a new house help; however it has taken me a month plus to land one: thank God it would seem from today I am out of the woods!
The general understanding in my part of the world is that house helps assist in housekeeping and when the mother is working then they also take care of the child/children – I hesitate to use the term ‘raise up‘ the child/children. But when I look at it critically, I don’t think they assist – they actually get the job done, period! Because let us be honest if there was ever a thankless job, it has to be housekeeping: Its mundane, it has to be done over and over again especially cleaning but dare you not do it then everything literally begins to fall apart.
Initially taken aback after telling them that I am a stay at home mum, most ladies then quip:
“You are lucky to have a supportive husband”
To be honest I am not quite sure I understand this statement, maybe I should just ask the next person who tells me this to unpack it slowly for me: wait a minute, am having a conversation with someone who just told me that. Let me follow up on it.
But I digress. . .
I am a stay at home mum, by choice. That’s what I have always said but the more I think about it maybe the job chose me.
At the beginning of the year I met a friend who I hadn’t seen since I graduated from graduate school. After the usual pleasantries the conversation went something like this:
I have been a stay at home mum since my oldest was born 6 years ago next week. Three years after she was born I dove into the world of writing as a Blogger and Published writer. Thus began my working from home, in a very flexi way. Last year (2019) on top of what I was already doing I became a formal working mum from home, like a salary at the end of the month kind of space. I have a 20 hour job, that requires me to go in for 3 hours once a week for staff meetings. Rest of the time I work from home as I also mother my two youngest and pick/drop my oldest to/from school (before COVID-19). I also teach at the same time – run Integrated Living classes as well as speak in various forums.
Thanks to COVID-19 many working mums – both full time and part-time have found themselves at home. Doing full time care work and formal work at the same time – or should I more honestly say EXCPECTED to do full time mothering and formal work at the same time.
So how do you do it? How do you make it through each day without going wacko?
Here are 3 hacks that have worked for me and are still working.
For the last two decades or so, I have felt a drawing into silence, solitude, meditation on Scripture and prayer. Coupled with this has been a desire to walk with others into the same. When I reflect even further back to my mixed high years, by mixed I mean I oscillated between lost and found, between the black book and top 10 in class, between sneaking out of preps to sleep and raising my voice and hands under the Mugumo tree behind the labs in total surrender; I reckon that this desire for silence, solitude, meditation on Scripture goes way way back.
I can see y’all who know my extrovert, yellow dressing, sunshine, energy bursting ways double checking if indeed this is me writing or a guest blogger. It’s me alright.
Welcome to my introvert side!
‘Balanced lifestyle’
‘Balancing your life’
‘Balanced living’
I am sure most if not all of us have encountered these phrases, or even been involved in seminars/programs teaching the same.
Identity.
Who are you?
Why are you here?
I have found that one’s identity and one’s purpose are closely intertwined.
Since writing my first book, I have had the privilege of being interviewed severally. The question, ‘Who is Joyce Mwangi?’ is always the first question on set. I have previously fumbled over this question despite knowing very well it will be asked, for some reason it always gets me off guard.
I have been a Stay At Home Mum (SAHM) for almost 4 years now. It has been one of the most fulfilling journeys of my life, I would not trade it for anything. Last year I wrote a little bit on how I got here and how I am thriving as a SAHM. Since then not much has changed apart from the physical growth of myself and the children ofcourse 😁😀😉😊😀. However, I have been having this nagging feeling to reach out and form a sisterhood a movement for SAHM’s. And this month I stepped out in faith and started Integrated Living – SAHM.