The in between

“Everything else can wait”.

We say it all the time.

And it’s true.

Our children are the most important thing at the moment.

But the problem is that sometimes everything else just can’t wait.

We have other commitments as mothers, whether we are working outside of the home or not.

We all have deadlines, and time pressures and endless lists of things we still need to do.

And what we don’t often talk about is that these moments - these tiny moments in between which can actually feel like a big deal - can be hard to navigate.

Because when you have commitments to other things that need to be done and your child is having a hard time - when they need that extra cuddle, or want to be carried everywhere, or just need you to stop everything else - it’s stressful.

Personally, I don’t want to let anyone down, but particularly not my children.

So I hold them and try to get everything else done.

But as I do, I see the clock ticking more quickly than ever.

In these moments I feel flustered and overwhelmed.

I am conflicted.

Because tending to my babies is natural, but leaving other things that cannot wait, to wait, feels unnatural.

This is the feeling in between the love and the load.

It’s heavy sometimes.

And it’s okay if you feel this way too.