My sweet boy, Yusuf Ilman is now 3 years old. At his age, he is a playful menace, and it goes without saying that he needs plenty of attention.
I guess because he is a boy, Yusuf is closer to me, his mother, than his father. He was carefully breastfed for 2 years and 3 months.
I bet that could be another reason why he would cling to me so much. Other than being a busy working mum who not only has a full-time job, I am also occupied with work on my freelancing platform, Epid Etc.
That means, my supposed-to-be rest day is always filled with my freelancing works.
Due to these workloads, I seldom have much time with my beloved son. Guilty is a very shallow word I would use to describe myself.
But I cannot just quit what I am doing because I love my work so much! Every time, every day, I pledge to balance work time and playtime with my son, trying my very best to be the best mummy he ever needed.
Sometimes I do feel that I am short of time to teach Yusuf for ABCs or 123. But I believe learning is not all about that.
His development involves playing too.
So whenever I have gaps between my work time, I would utilise them by playing with my son.
I make sure that they are well-spent as a quality time with Yusuf. Every day, these are what I do to connect with him so he does not feel neglected.
Bathtime is our Playtime!
For Yusuf, the most exciting part for him is when I reach home. He would purposely wait and request me to bathe him.
And that is of course, a pleasure for me! Though I may be so tired, wouldn’t I at least grant his wish?
After a stressful day at work, I too enjoy bathing him. We make bubbles and sprinkling water on each other.
Sometimes, I would let him play in his baby bathtub with his other “friends” such as T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, whale, shark toys and others. Anything that is safe and he enjoy playing with.
Time for a Bedtime Story
“Yusuf, can we go to bed now? Come, mummy wants to tell you a story”. And so, naturally, he will fall for it.
Yusuf enjoys storytelling. Before going to bed at night, Yusuf makes sure I read him any bedtime story.
This is also one of the tricks I used to make him go to bed early. Mummy got to be smart am I right?
He often sleeps (or I make sure he goes to bed) at around 9:30 pm every day. Once I am sure he is in his deep sleep, I will continue with my errands.
Playing my Part during His Fun Time
“Who wants to play with mummy today?!”
“Yusuf! Yusuf!”
That’s how excited he gets every time I mention this word.
And he will be angry and throw tantrums too if I fail to fulfil my word. I assume ‘fun time with mummy’ means the world to him.
We enjoy playing hide and seek, building a house with the soft puzzle mat, drawing a T-Rex, and many other activities that we can do together.
Let Him ‘Preparing’ the Dishes
Other than being occupied with work, I also need to cook for the family. Normally, before I head to work in the morning, I will wake up early and cook meals for my husband, Yusuf and my lunch boxes.
Once Yusuf woke up, he always knows where to find me. While I was in the kitchen, other than asking me to carry him, Yusuf likes to participate in the task too – yup, he is my sous-chef.
I will let him help me with the easy tasks such as stirring the eggs for my omelette, batter the pancakes or pouring milk in the cup.
No matter how short the cooking session, I am more than happy to spend our time together. This helps to boost our mummy-and-son moment, as well as helps with his motor and skills development.
We are beyond best friends. Let the world throw me a mountain, I will still make time for you my dear son,
I always tell Yusuf that we are best friends. We could play and hug, kiss, cuddle, or fight, and yet, console each other.
Yusuf will put my head on his chest each time I pretend to be sad, and that is the best feeling ever!
As a mother, I don’t want him to feel that he receives less attention from me despite my busy schedule.
Being a working mum makes me feel the needs to set a good example for my children – one needs to work hard, do not being lazy, and if you want anything in your life, work for it and chase your dream!
That’s my motto and my responsibility as a working mother.
Thankfully, up until today, no matter how busy I am, Yusuf knows mummy always prioritise him over anything.
Of course, it is not easy to have a work-life-balance but know that nothing is impossible.
To all working mothers, don’t worry and never blame yourself for things that go beyond your control.
You are doing your best and you are the best (at least to your family and that is more important than anything)!
Trust me, we can do this!