Do You Find Life With A Baby Dull Sometimes? You’re Not Alone.

I absolutely love this article from Dr. Klass in the New York Times.  She writes about how there are parts of parenting babies and small children that are fundamentally boring and how she (and many others) have coped with this boredom. She mentions a dog eared stack of Agatha Christie paperbacks, which made me chuckle, as I recently watched the cover fall off one of my favorite Patricia Wentworth titles (another British whodunit author) while I snuggled a sick little one. 

As she says, these stories: "... were the perfect addictive narratives for my tired bored brain, keeping me company through the wakeful nights and the bleary days." Her children were little before the digital age (something she discusses later in the article), but it reminded me of the nursing struggles I had with my fifth child and how I binged on the BBC's show "Death in Paradise" during aforesaid bleary days.

Of course, it does not have to be Brits and teatime and murder keeping the boredom at bay. I found Liane Moriarity's "What Alice Forgot" a perfect distraction during late night nursing sessions; I've tiptoed through Robert Frost's poetry during uncomfortable pregnancy insomnia; I've binged on old childhood favorites when holding children with a stomach bug (Encyclopedia Brown, anyone?). It's a matter of finding what feels sociable to you in lonely hours.

I love paperbacks, because they are lighter and easier to hold, which is important when you've got a wriggling baby. They're also cheaper, which is also good when you're in a house where milk spills are an almost daily occurrence.

Creative outlets like journaling, crafts, baking, needlework, and gardening are some of the best things for long term self care and stress relief...  but who can bake at 3 am when rocking a fussy baby? Not this mama. I‘m likely to drop stitches and my needle if I try anything during a groggy midnight nursing session. I savor these activities, but the companionship of stories is so very solacing when snatched during the tired, dark hours with wee sma’ ones. 

In all of this, it’s important to remember that we don't parent for ourselves; we parent for the children. Klass points out that there are vital components to parenting that can still be definitely feel boring for many: silly songs, silly faces, maintaining a connection with a tiny human who is passionately learning about the world from you. But it's okay to admit it's not all sparkly rainbow dust and that temporary boredom busters are part of the survival plan for moms (and dads!).