Babies Don't Keep

I hope my child looks back on today
And sees a mother who had time to play.
There will be years for cleaning and cooking,
But children grow up when you’re not looking.
Tomorrow I’ll do all the chores you can mention
But today, my baby needs time and attention.
So settle down cobwebs; dust go to sleep,
I’m cuddling my baby, and babies don’t keep.

I don't know who wrote this. A quick search only showed me others who don't know who wrote this. :D 

I read this in my early days as a new mom learning to juggle the demands of a baby born with many medical needs, a wife of less than two years and a career. Some wise person either shared it with me or I read it somewhere. My apologies if it was shared as I so don't remember, but I seriously believe I read it in some guru-like parenting magazine. This was long before the Internet put everything at a click.

So much comfort in this little poem. It actually soothed my worries and helped me come to terms with the realization that some things were more important than a clean house. It helped me see that it's OK that there were toys on the floor ... laundry in the baskets ... beds not made and ... :::gasp::: dirty dishes in the sink.

Fast forward through the 25+ years of raising two daughters and all that goes with an active family life and career to today. 

There are no more babies to distract me. It's time to follow through. Chores is such a negative word. Growing up, chores were handed down as punishment by my own parents. 

Some how, some way my view of "chores" has changed. It's part of this morphing I've been doing lately I think. 

Before, chores were something that had to be squeezed into a day that had no room for more. Now, it's really quite easy to do something around the house each day and still have plenty of time to do whatever it is empty nesters do ... read, enjoy the outdoors ... write a blog. :D

So dust and cobwebs, thank you for waiting. It's your turn now and what's even more weird is ... I don't detest is as much as I thought I would. Go figure.