Cats in the cradle

Just sharing… thoughts for the day.

It’s our usual weekday. Today is Monday morning. Kids are up at around 7 in the morning. Half an hour past, Hubby just came back from his dayjob. Kitchen is getting busy. Hubby’s on the kitchen trying to squeeze in time to prepare baon for T and me while I’m busy prepping up T for his morning routine before going to school at the same time trying to tend to M while she watches us on her exersaucer running around maybe having this weekday morning thoughts “what’s happening?” or maybe she’s gotten used to it. Once they’re prepped up, it’s my time to prepare for work.

You see, Mondays through Fridays, our family is like running a marathon trying to beat the 8.20 clock. That’s preparing breakfast, having a quick breakfast, preparing for school (T) and work (moi), and finally getting into the car. All four of us! And that’s just the morning picture.

Having the second kid has been like being in a whole new dimension of parenting. Our everyday lives have been challenged from what it used to be. Hubby and I are now basically wondering what happened to time. Has it been ticking too quickly?

Dropping off my son to school today, T asked us to just stay in the car coz [he knows] “how to get to my school on my own mummy”. As he was walking away from us, his Superman backpack amassing the sight, I looked at hubby with a poor puppy’s look and went on with my usual lines: What did just happen? Why is he growing up too fast? He was just a baby yesterday! (with all the exaggeration I can think of).

It dawned on me how precious time is. Certain situations can tap you on your shoulder and wake you up. And I’m thankful that we’ve been hands-on parents since the two kids were born. Oh, and did I mention that we don’t have any help since having the kids?

I told hubs: “Spend time talaga with kids ano?” Hubs only gave me that reassuring look of confirmation that he felt the same way and said “cats in the cradle”. Huh?

I was aware of the song but has never really made time to read between the lyrics. On our way to my office, hubs was summarizing and describing the lyrics of the song. I went on further to google the lyrics. It just hit me. That’s it. I don’t want to grow old only to realize that I’ve spent my time, my precious time, to the wrong people and wrong situations.

How do you balance life and family? It’s a very difficult task for parents. Add to that the other equally important nagging stuffs such as bills running here and there, savings and retirement finances popping up are just a few of the pressures.

I hate to think that at the end of it all, I look back and wonder where my own time has gone? I wish to think that my time has been invested on the right kind of investment - time with my family, time with my kids, time with those I love. If I've done this successfully, I can say I have lived life to the fullest!