As far as I could remember, I spent a big part of my life studying and just when I obtained my “official adulthood status”, I have been mastering the art of keyboard hitting skill - day after day. Next I knew, our first boy came along and I had been so busy juggling between that journey at work and parenting young children that I really couldn’t juggle with perfecting my housework skill at home.  Most of these years, I have been relying on domestic helpers, many of whom have given me much headaches and finally a wonderful hubby who helped out much at housework, knowing I was stressed up at work.

Admittedly, I am not used to keeping a whole house perfectly spick and span by myself especially when it is never possible to achieve complete tidiness at home with children. Now that I have become a full-time homemaker, my physical energy can become fully drained.  My family fully understands that I have a high cleanliness standard and it is exactly this same standard that burns so much of my calories everyday. Looking on the bright side, perhaps, I should gloat in happiness that my pants are now drooping down my waist and my watches can now be rotated around my wrists *hurray*.

Yes, I can indeed be so clumsy when it comes to housework.  Slipping on wet floor, forgetting to turn off gas stove (until hours later, thank goodness there was no hazard), burning my hand, forgetting to turn on tap of washing machine many times, turning on warmer instead of on/off switch of air-conditioner…..

[Hee, Papa Ed definitely has to increase insurance coverage. However, it can't be blamed especially when my attention is needed by many at the same time.]

Being a homemaker can be distracting

On most days, I hear one boy shouting :”Mommy, come, I can’t find my book/socks etc.” Then on other days, I have another boy chasing me with :”Mommy, how much longer do you need to finish cooking?” Sometimes, the phone starts ringing non-stop and on other days, Yuki’s poo bothers me and sets me answering phone or cleaning the pee tray and puts aside what I am originally doing. Then, when I was about to take a bath, it is time to bring our boys for lessons again. When I am done with one distraction, I am off with another.

I never like the idea of chores half-done and have been waking up earlier than usual so that I could also spend time with our boy and Yuki as well. When I thought that a day’s chores are completed, then I wake up in dismay to spot an untidy room again.  “Hey! Which house is complete with the presence of kids if it is not filled with the mess created by children?” I often consoled myself.

Yet as the distractions go on, somehow, I am glad when our boys are home. At least, they remind me to turn off the gas stove, act as my alarm clock that it is time to prepare meals, help answer to door bells/phone calls and assist in household chores like mopping floor.  Haha, roping in our boys to help with light chores is an useful idea:) At least, now they understand why adults frown when cleaned places are dirtied almost instantaneously and they take pride in the places that they helped pack *as long as the other one doesn’t mess it up soon”.

No “Short-cuts” in household chores and caring for well-beings of our family

To me, there are no “shortcuts” in completing the chores and caring for well-beings of our family. I guess I could have the easier way out sometimes. However, I did not take that option. Many of us take the extra effort to bake, cook and go marketing early so that our family could have more nutritional meals and meals that they give a thumbs up. I could have cleaned the house less regularly but I still clean often to prevent an allergy attack on Darren especially when he has a sensitive nose. I know most mothers are like me. It sets our minds at ease and happy when we have the well-beings of our family taken care of - at the expense of our rest.

[Sometimes, I wonder how much battery life I have per day to keep myself physically and mentally energised. Yet, it is amazing that when we are doing all these for the family, somehow, the determination is strong.]

There’s no guidebook for Homemaker

I believe even if there were a guidebook for Homemaker, it would be impractical for me. Papa Ed often remarks that my standard is too high. When it comes to cleaning standard, it is subject to different conditions and environments and I know nobody can impose a common standard. No amount of education, too, has helped me to solve household chores questions.

It is interesting that when I used to read about Management and leadership related books and career related courses, now Google has become my Consultant for “How Baking Soda helps to get rid of stench and stains” and “How garlic smell can be rid by rubbing hands on the stainless steel basin” and others.  Simple tricks but highly effective!

When I was so emersed in crunching figures and words previously, it is Amazing how I have learnt the SURVIVAL KIT in everyday life only recently as a HOMEMAKER.

In the past, my quick solution would always be to call the serviceman and buy the ready kits (despite of costs) from the shops. Now, I feel more equipped with knowledge of being able to appreciate how simple items around us can solve our daily household problems.  I start appreciating also each bit of efforts put in by my father and others in cooking and baking because there are skills in creating those pieces of tender fish slice, thick broth … and soft and moist cakes. I am far from achieving this superb culinary standard but at least, I have started to appreciate the basic things and simplicity in life.

[Maybe, this is a lesson learnt that quality in life needs not necessarily be improved by running after money.]

It’s Rewarding

Being a homemaker is rewarding? No, we don’t get paid for being the homemaker. Remember cleanliness standard is subjective? No, we don’t get a “Best Mother” or “Best Wife”"Award for that. Hee.. maybe they should start having a household cleanliness competition hosted by the TV channel. Then, at least hardworking mommies can finally get a monetary reward *lol*.

So, NOPE. Rewards are not monetary and we definitely do not ask for rewards. Instead, rewards come in the form of the “Smiles” on our kids’ faces, the better health of our family members and the very basic skills that I would never master if I were to hang on to that degree and never let go. The greatest achievement is having this opportunity now to go through a real-life preliminary course on how to be a more equipped mother/wife and homemaking. These skills will be my biggest assets when I retire and  at least I can cook decent meals for my children by then and not look bad before my future daughters-in-law *haha*.  When I start asking my future daughters-in-law to be more equipped mothers, they cannot call me “the pot calling the kettle black” *haha*.

[I suppose these skills will be the most valuable then and no amount of education or career experience then can help me achieve that.]

Tired I may be. Routines, they sure are. Nothing pleases me more than having our boys snatching away pieces of my cookies when it is still cooling down from the oven, Papa Ed raising his thumbs up for a meal well-cooked and Darren offering to help me with chores and our boys voluntarily pouring me those cups of water when I am exhausted.

Hmm…I am starting to believe in those words “How you treat others, they will treat you similarly“.

In the good sense, this will be my greatest reward:)

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